Abstract
Computer‐assisted motion analysis of the swimming behavior of spores of the brown alga Hincksia irregularis was used in a novel antifouling bioassay. Newly released spores were exposed to water soluble compounds of organic and aqueous body wall extracts of two sympatric sea stars, Astropecten articulatus and Luidia clathrata. Changes in the swimming behavior of H. irregularis spores were quantified by changes in speed (decrease at extract exposure) and rate of change of direction (increase at extract exposure). Sea star extracts were tested at natural concentrations (mg extract/g wet weight) and at approximate 10‐, 100‐, and 1000‐fold dilution. Significant effects (p ≤ 0.05) were observed at 1000‐fold dilution of the natural concentration in both extracts of A. articulatus, and at 100‐ and 10‐fold dilution of the aqueous and organic extract, respectively, in L. clathrata. Germination of spores after short time exposure (30 min) to sea star body wall extracts indicates that compounds were not toxic but affected spore mobility, a factor that plays an important role during spore settlement. We suggest that this assay is very useful for bioassay‐guided fractionation of extracts because it is very sensitive and requires only small amounts of extracts or isolated compounds.
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