Significance Microscopic marine algae (phytoplankton) are responsible for much of Earth's photosynthesis, serving as the base of a massive food web supporting fisheries. Phytoplankton compete for limiting resources, with some species producing noxious compounds that kill competitors or inhibit their growth. The red-tide dinoflagellate Karenia brevis is one such allelopathic species, causing growth suppression of other phytoplankton and negatively impacting coastal ecosystems. Metabolomic and proteomic approaches were used to characterize the sublethal physiological impacts of K. brevis allelopathy on two competing phytoplankton, providing insights into the physiological mechanisms by which allelopathy occurs and the metabolic pathways that enable resistance in co-occurring competitors.

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This review summarizes recent work in the chemical ecology of pelagic marine ecosystems. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of advances in the field over the period covered, we have organized this review by ecological interaction type beginning with intraspecific interactions, then interspecific interactions (including mutualism, parasitism, competition, and predation), and finally community- and ecosystem-wide interactions.