Mary Hay, Professor and Harry and Linda Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology, has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to study the role of competition between seaweeds and corals. Coral reefs are in dramatic global decline, with reefs commonly converting from coral-dominated, species-rich communities to seaweed-dominated, species- poor communities.

These phase-shifts result in fundamental loss of ecosystem function. Despite debate about whether coral-to-algal transitions are commonly a primary cause, or simply a consequence, of coral mortality, rigorous field investigation of seaweed-coral competition has received limited attention. There is limited information on how the outcome of seaweed-coral competition varies among species or the relative importance of different competitive mechanisms in facilitating seaweed dominance.

Hay will conduct field experiments in the tropical South Pacific (Fiji) to determine the effects of seaweeds on corals when in direct contact, which seaweeds are most damaging to corals, the role of allelopathic lipids that are transferred via contact in producing these effects, the identity and surface concentrations of these metabolites, and the dynamic nature of seaweed metabolite production and coral response following contact. The herbivorous fishes most responsible for controlling allelopathic seaweeds will be identified and the roles of seaweed metabolites in allelopathy vs herbivore deterrence will be studied. In addition, Hay will examine the potential for better managing and conserving critical reef herbivores so as to slow or reverse conversion of coral reef to seaweed meadows.