Journal articles on the topic 'Sponge ecology'
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1
Taylor, Michael W., Regina Radax, Doris Steger, and Michael Wagner. "Sponge-Associated Microorganisms: Evolution, Ecology, and Biotechnological Potential." Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 71, no. 2 (June 2007): 295–347. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/mmbr.00040-06.
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SUMMARY Marine sponges often contain diverse and abundant microbial communities, including bacteria, archaea, microalgae, and fungi. In some cases, these microbial associates comprise as much as 40% of the sponge volume and can contribute significantly to host metabolism (e.g., via photosynthesis or nitrogen fixation). We review in detail the diversity of microbes associated with sponges, including extensive 16S rRNA-based phylogenetic analyses which support the previously suggested existence of a sponge-specific microbiota. These analyses provide a suitable vantage point from which to consider the potential evolutionary and ecological ramifications of these widespread, sponge-specific microorganisms. Subsequently, we examine the ecology of sponge-microbe associations, including the establishment and maintenance of these sometimes intimate partnerships, the varied nature of the interactions (ranging from mutualism to host-pathogen relationships), and the broad-scale patterns of symbiont distribution. The ecological and evolutionary importance of sponge-microbe associations is mirrored by their enormous biotechnological potential: marine sponges are among the animal kingdom's most prolific producers of bioactive metabolites, and in at least some cases, the compounds are of microbial rather than sponge origin. We review the status of this important field, outlining the various approaches (e.g., cultivation, cell separation, and metagenomics) which have been employed to access the chemical wealth of sponge-microbe associations.
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Sacristán-Soriano, Oriol, and Mikel A. Becerro. "Publication impact in sponge chemical and microbial ecology." Scientia Marina 80, no. 4 (November 22, 2016): 555. http://dx.doi.org/10.3989/scimar.04466.04a.
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It is well known that sponges constitute one of the most prevalent groups in marine benthic communities based on their challenging structural organization, abundance and diversity, and their functional roles in natural communities. The evolutionary success of this group may be explained by the close interaction between sponges and microbes, which dates back to the Precambrian era. This particular symbiosis has become a key factor within sponge research and is an emerging topic of two scientific disciplines: chemical and microbial ecology. This mini-review evaluates the influence of these two disciplines on the general scientific community using a series of bibliometric indicators to ensure objectivity. Our analyses showed that, although sponge chemical ecology has a greater overall impact on the scientific community, both disciplines are cited equally and more frequently than expected. Both research areas show a great impact on applied sciences, but the ecological perspectives of sponge chemistry and microbiology may fall outside the interests of a broader ecological audience. Moreover, we highlight some research topics (e.g. effects of environmental stress) that may require further attention. Hence, sponge chemical and microbial ecology have the opportunity to contribute to broader ecological issues in topics that make sponges particularly important, such as symbiosis.
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Paul, Valerie J., Christopher J. Freeman, and Vinayak Agarwal. "Chemical Ecology of Marine Sponges: New Opportunities through “-Omics”." Integrative and Comparative Biology 59, no. 4 (April 27, 2019): 765–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icb/icz014.
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Abstract The chemical ecology and chemical defenses of sponges have been investigated for decades; consequently, sponges are among the best understood marine organisms in terms of their chemical ecology, from the level of molecules to ecosystems. Thousands of natural products have been isolated and characterized from sponges, and although relatively few of these compounds have been studied for their ecological functions, some are known to serve as chemical defenses against predators, microorganisms, fouling organisms, and other competitors. Sponges are hosts to an exceptional diversity of microorganisms, with almost 40 microbial phyla found in these associations to date. Microbial community composition and abundance are highly variable across host taxa, with a continuum from diverse assemblages of many microbial taxa to those that are dominated by a single microbial group. Microbial communities expand the nutritional repertoire of their hosts by providing access to inorganic and dissolved sources of nutrients. Not only does this continuum of microorganism–sponge associations lead to divergent nutritional characteristics in sponges, these associated microorganisms and symbionts have long been suspected, and are now known, to biosynthesize some of the natural products found in sponges. Modern “omics” tools provide ways to study these sponge–microbe associations that would have been difficult even a decade ago. Metabolomics facilitate comparisons of sponge compounds produced within and among taxa, and metagenomics and metatranscriptomics provide tools to understand the biology of host–microbe associations and the biosynthesis of ecologically relevant natural products. These combinations of ecological, microbiological, metabolomic and genomics tools, and techniques provide unprecedented opportunities to advance sponge biology and chemical ecology across many marine ecosystems.
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Mortimer, C., M. Dunn, A. Haris, J. Jompa, and J. Bell. "Estimates of sponge consumption rates on an Indo-Pacific reef." Marine Ecology Progress Series 672 (August 19, 2021): 123–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13786.
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Determining predator diets is essential for understanding the strength of top-down processes and how they cascade through food webs. This is especially important for sponges, key members of benthic communities, whose dominance has increased in recent years on some coral reefs. However, the diversity of spongivorous fishes and the sponges they consume are relatively unknown. Here, we estimated sponge consumption by spongivorous fishes in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia. We deployed cameras to identify fish biting at the dominant reef sponge Xestospongia spp. and then used gut content analysis and fish abundance estimates to quantify sponge consumption. In total, 33 species from 10 families of reef fish were identified taking bites from Xestospongia spp.; however, the 2 most prolific sponge-grazers, Ctenochaetus binotatus and Chaetodon kleinii, had no sponge in their guts, showing that for some fish, bites on sponge surfaces are not reliable evidence of sponge consumption. Gut contents indicated that Pygoplites diacanthus was an obligate spongivore, while Pomacanthus imperator, P. xanthometopon, Zanclus cornutus and Siganus punctatus regularly consumed sponges. Sponge consumption by these 5 spongivores was estimated at 46.6 ± 18.3 g sponge 1000 m-2 d-1. Molecular approaches developed to sequence the 18S gene for sponges consumed by angelfishes led to the successful amplification of 14 consumed sponges representing 6 orders of Porifera. We provide the first estimate of sponge consumption in the Indo-Pacific and are the first to successfully sequence partially digested sponges from fish stomachs, identifying several sponges previously unknown to be consumed by spongivores.
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Mackie, G. O. "Progress in sponge biology." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 2 (February 1, 2006): 143–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-014.
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This is an introduction to a set of reviews covering aspects of the systematics, phylogeny and evolution of extant and fossil sponges, sponge embryogenesis and reproductive biology, cell culture and cell death, coordination, ecology, and mineral skeletogenesis.
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Bell, James J. "The ecology of sponges in Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve (south-west Ireland): past, present and future perspectives." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87, no. 6 (December 2007): 1655–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315407058171.
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Lough Hyne was Europe's first Marine Nature Reserve and is a well known biodiversity hotspot that supports extensive sponge assemblages. The unusual, but predictable, flow and sedimentation regimes have important impacts on the sponge assemblages at the species and assemblage levels. Here I present a review of recent sponge research at Lough Hyne, which covers: (1) a description of the sponge-dominated habitats; (2) the biological and physical factors controlling sponge biodiversity and abundance; (3) sponge species and assemblage level morphological variability; and (4) the relationship between sponge morphological, species and functional diversity. It appears that physical factors are primarily responsible for the sponge diversity and abundance patterns found in Lough Hyne, although the importance of intra- and interphyletic (particularly with algae) competitive interactions requires further investigation. Although our knowledge of how sponges respond and adapt to environmental variability has increased substantially because of the research conducted at Lough Hyne, I have highlighted a number of future research areas in the context of Lough Hyne sponge assemblages, which are relevant to understanding structuring processes across the globe.
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Proksch, P., R. Ebel, R. A. Edrada, P. Schupp, W. H. Lin, V. Wray, and K. Steube. "Detection of pharmacologically active natural products using ecology. Selected examples from Indopacific marine invertebrates and sponge-derived fungi." Pure and Applied Chemistry 75, no. 2-3 (January 1, 2003): 343–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/pac200375020343.
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This review article presents our group's recent research findings with regard to bioactive natural products from marine sponges and tunicates, as well as from sponge derived fungi. The organisms discussed originate in the Indopacific region, which has an exceptionally rich marine biodiversity. Major topics that are covered in our review include the chemical ecology of sponges, focusing on defense against fishes, as well as the isolation and identification of new bioactive constituents from sponges and tunicates. Sponge derived fungi are introduced as an emerging source for new bioactive metabolites, reflecting the currently growing interest in natural products from marine microorganisms.
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Olinger, LK, A. Chaves-Fonnegra, IC Enochs, and ME Brandt. "Three competitors in three dimensions: photogrammetry reveals rapid overgrowth of coral during multispecies competition with sponges and algae." Marine Ecology Progress Series 657 (January 7, 2021): 109–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13579.
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Competition for limited space is an important driver of benthic community structure on coral reefs. Studies of coral-algae and coral-sponge interactions often show competitive dominance of algae and sponges over corals, but little is known about the outcomes when these groups compete in a multispecies context. Multispecies competition is increasingly common on Caribbean coral reefs as environmental degradation drives loss of reef-building corals and proliferation of alternative organisms such as algae and sponges. New methods are needed to understand multispecies competition, whose outcomes can differ widely from pairwise competition and range from coexistence to exclusion. In this study, we used 3D photogrammetry and image analyses to compare pairwise and multispecies competition on reefs in the US Virgin Islands. Sponges (Desmapsamma anchorata, Aplysina cauliformis) and macroalgae (Lobophora variegata) were attached to coral (Porites astreoides) and arranged to simulate multispecies (coral-sponge-algae) and pairwise (coral-sponge, coral-algae) competition. Photogrammetric 3D models were produced to measure surface area change of coral and sponges, and photographs were analyzed to measure sponge-coral, algae-coral, and algae-sponge overgrowth. Coral lost more surface area and was overgrown more rapidly by the sponge D. anchorata in multispecies treatments, when the sponge was also in contact with algae. Algae contact may confer a competitive advantage to the sponge D. anchorata, but not to A. cauliformis, underscoring the species-specificity of these interactions. This first application of photogrammetry to study competition showed meaningful losses of living coral that, combined with significant overgrowths by competitors detected from image analyses, exposed a novel outcome of multispecies competition.
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Bell, James J., and David Smith. "Ecology of sponge assemblages (Porifera) in the Wakatobi region, south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia: richness and abundance." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 84, no. 3 (May 24, 2004): 581–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315404009580h.
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The influence of sedimentation, depth and substratum angle on sponge assemblages in the Wakatobi region, south-eastern Sulawesi, Indonesia was considered. Sponge assemblages were sampled from two reef localities. The first reef (Sampela) was highly impacted by high sedimentation rates with fine sediment particles that settle slowly, while the second (Hoga) experienced only fast settling coarse sediment with lower overall sedimentation rates. Sponge assemblages were sampled (area occupied and numbers) on the reef flat (0 m) and at 5 (reef crest), 10 and 15 m (15 m at Hoga only). Some significant (P<0·001) differences were observed in the area occupied and the number of sponge patches between surface angles and sites. Significantly lower (t>4·61, df=9, P<0·001) sponge numbers, percentage cover and richness were associated with the reef flat at both sites compared with all other depths at each site, with the exception of abundance of sponges on the reef flat at Sampela, which was much greater than at any other depth sampled. Species richness increased with depth at both sites but differences between surface angles were only recorded at Sampela, with higher species richness being found on vertical, inclined and horizontal surfaces respectively. A total of 100 sponge species (total area sampled 52·5 m2) was reported from the two sites, with 58 species found at Sampela and 71 species at Hoga (41% of species shared). Multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) indicated differences in assemblage structure between sites and most depth intervals, but not substratum angles. A number of biological (e.g. competition and predation) and physical (e.g. sedimentation and aerial exposure) factors were considered to control sponge abundance and richness. Unexpectedly a significant (F1,169=148·98, P<0·001) positive linear relationship was found between sponge density and area occupied. In areas of high sponge coverage, the number of patches was also high, possibly due to fragmentation of large sponges produced as a result of predation and physical disturbance. The MDS results were also the same whether sponge numbers or percentage cover estimates were used, suggesting that although these different approaches yield different sorts of information, the same assemblage structure can be identified.
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Ribes, Marta, Claudia Dziallas, Rafel Coma, and Lasse Riemann. "Microbial Diversity and Putative Diazotrophy in High- and Low-Microbial-Abundance Mediterranean Sponges." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 81, no. 17 (June 12, 2015): 5683–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.01320-15.
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ABSTRACTMicrobial communities associated with marine sponges carry out nutrient transformations essential for benthic-pelagic coupling; however, knowledge about their composition and function is still sparse. We evaluated the richness and diversity of prokaryotic assemblages associated with three high-microbial-abundance (HMA) and three low-microbial-abundance (LMA) sympatric Mediterranean sponges to address their stability and uniqueness. Moreover, to examine functionality and because an imbalance between nitrogen ingestion and excretion has been observed for some of these species, we sequenced nitrogenase genes (nifH) and measured N2fixation. The prokaryotic communities in the two sponge types did not differ in terms of richness, but the highest diversity was found in HMA sponges. Moreover, the discrete composition of the communities in the two sponge types relative to that in the surrounding seawater indicated that horizontal transmission and vertical transmission affect the microbiomes associated with the two sponge categories.nifHgenes were found in all LMA species and sporadically in one HMA species, and about half of thenifHgene sequences were common between the different sponge species and were also found in the surrounding water, suggesting horizontal transmission.15N2-enriched incubations showed that N2fixation was measurable in the water but was not associated with the sponges. Also, the analysis of the isotopic ratio of15N to14N in sponge tissue indicated that N2fixation is not an important source of nitrogen in these Mediterranean sponges. Overall, our results suggest that compositional and functional features differ between the prokaryotic communities associated with HMA and LMA sponges, which may affect sponge ecology.
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Hudspith, M., J. van der Sprong, L. Rix, D. Víg, J. Schoorl, and JM de Goeij. "Quantifying sponge host and microbial symbiont contribution to dissolved organic matter uptake through cell separation." Marine Ecology Progress Series 670 (July 22, 2021): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13789.
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Sponge-microbe symbioses underpin the ecological success of sponges in many aquatic benthic ecosystems worldwide. These symbioses are often described as mutually beneficial, but identifying positive symbiotic interactions and quantifying the contribution of partners to physiological processes is challenging. For example, our understanding of the relative contribution of sponge cells and their microbial symbionts to the uptake and exchange of dissolved organic matter (DOM)—a major component of sponge diet—is limited. Here, we combined host-symbiont cell separation with pulse-chase isotopic labelling in order to trace the uptake of 13C- and 15Nenriched DOM into sponge cells and microbial symbionts of the encrusting Caribbean sponges Haliclona vansoesti and Scopalina ruetzleri, which are low microbial abundance (LMA) species. Sponge cells were responsible for >99% of DOM assimilation during the pulse-chase experiment for both sponge species, while the contribution of symbiotic microbes to total DOM uptake was negligible (<1%). Nitrogen derived from DOM was translocated from sponge cells to microbial cells over time, indicating processing of host nitrogenous wastes by microbial endosymbionts. Thus, host cells drive DOM uptake in these species, while microbial symbionts may aid in the recycling of host-waste products. Our findings highlight the ability of sponges to derive nutrition by internalizing dissolved compounds from their environment and retaining nutrients via host-microbe interactions.
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Vicente, J., A. Osberg, MJ Marty, K. Rice, and RJ Toonen. "Influence of palatability on the feeding preferences of the endemic Hawaiian tiger cowrie for indigenous and introduced sponges." Marine Ecology Progress Series 647 (August 13, 2020): 109–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13418.
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Kāne‘ohe Bay has been invaded by at least 10 non-indigenous sponge species, some of which have become dominant over native sponges and even competitors against reef-building corals. We discovered the Hawaiian tiger cowrie Cypraea tigris schilderiana to be a voracious sponge predator, particularly on some of these non-indigenous sponges. This study sought to examine whether feeding preference for sponges by cowries was influenced by palatability of sponge chemical extracts. We quantified the consumption rate of 18 species of common native and non-native sponges in comparison to 3 native corals from Kāne‘ohe Bay in flow-through aquaria. When offered a smorgasbord of prey species in 4 replicate week-long trials, cowries exclusively fed on sponges, which included several non-native species, in a selective gradient. Three Dysidea spp. were consumed entirely within 72 h, followed by Mycale parishii, Haliclona caerulea, Halichondria coerulea, and Cladocroce burapha within 96 h, and M. grandis and Gelliodes wilsoni in 144 h. Preferred sponges spanned the full range of sponge mineral composition, from those with densely packed spicules that measured >300 µm to those with a collagen fiber skeleton. Among avoided sponges, only Monanchora clathrata produced compounds that, when extracted, proved to be a deterrent to cowries and the whitespotted toby Canthigaster jactator in feeding trials. Our study highlights the previously unrecognized importance of cowrie predation on introduced sponges in Hawaiian reefs, and suggests that palatability alone does not influence feeding preference. We encourage conservation for this overharvested, native spongivore because of its potential use in biological control for future sponge introductions.
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Beazley, Lindsay I., Ellen L. Kenchington, Francisco Javier Murillo, and María del Mar Sacau. "Deep-sea sponge grounds enhance diversity and abundance of epibenthic megafauna in the Northwest Atlantic." ICES Journal of Marine Science 70, no. 7 (August 16, 2013): 1471–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fst124.
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AbstractBeazley, L. I., Kenchington E. L., Murillo, F. J., and Sacau, M. 2013. Deep-sea sponge grounds enhance diversity and abundance of epibenthic megafauna in the Northwest Atlantic. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: . The influence of structure-forming deep-water sponge grounds on the composition, diversity, and abundance of the local epibenthic megafaunal community of the Flemish Pass area, Northwest Atlantic was statistically assessed. These habitats are considered vulnerable marine ecosystems and, therefore, warrant conservation measures to protect them from bottom fishing activities. The epibenthic megafauna were quantified from four photographic transects, three of which were located on the western slope of the Flemish Cap with an overall depth range of 444–940 m, and the fourth in the southern Flemish Pass between 1328 and 1411 m. We observed a diverse megafaunal community dominated by large numbers of ophiuroids and sponges. On the slope of the Flemish Cap, sponge grounds were dominated by axinellid and polymastid sponges, while the deeper sponge ground in the southern Flemish Pass was formed mainly by geodiids and Asconema sp. The presence of structure-forming sponges was associated with a higher biodiversity and abundance of associated megafauna compared with non-sponge habitat. The composition of megafauna significantly differed between sponge grounds and non-sponge grounds and also between different sponge morphologies. Surface chlorophyll a and near-bottom salinity were important environmental determinants in generalized linear models of megafaunal species richness and abundance.
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DOCIO, L., M. PAROLIN, and U. PINHEIRO. "A contribution to adequate use of freshwater sponges as a proxy in paleoenvironmental studies." Zootaxa 4915, no. 4 (January 25, 2021): 506–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4915.4.3.
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This paper provides a comprehensive review of the environments where freshwater sponges occur and evaluates the use of sponge spicules as a proxy in paleoenvironmental studies in the Neotropical region. The paper aims to: I) review the information about the ecology of inland sponges to facilitate the use of spicules as a paleoenvironmental tool; and II) identify possible incongruities in the use of this information in paleoenvironmental reconstructions that have been conducted in Neotropical regions. The study compiled data on 77 sponge species, specialist or generalist that occur under certain environmental conditions, such as: substrate type for growth, hydrodynamic types, as well as salinity and acidity concentrations. In addition, it provides a comparison of the paleoenvironmental conditions applied to reconstruction studies that have been carried out within this biogeographic region, highlighting incongruities regarding the current ecology of the sponges.
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Huang, Yusheng M., Nicole J. de Voogd, Daniel F. R. Cleary, Tsung-Hsuan Li, Hin-Kiu Mok, and Jinn-Pyng Ueng. "Biodiversity pattern of subtidal sponges (Porifera: Demospongiae) in the Penghu Archipelago (Pescadores), Taiwan." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 96, no. 2 (March 5, 2015): 417–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002531541500017x.
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Sponge-related research in Taiwan has primarily focused on natural product exploration. This research has, however, been hampered by a lack of fundamental work on sponge taxonomy and ecology. In the present study, subtidal sponges were photo-recordedin situand collected by scuba diving at a depth range of 2–20 m from 2009 to 2012 in 16 different sites surrounding the Penghu Archipelago, Taiwan. Sponge samples were identified to the lowest taxonomic level based on skeletal morphology and spicules. A total of 53 species belonging to 24 families and 10 orders were identified in this study. The number of sponge species per site ranged from 0 to 24. The most widely distributed sponge species wasCallyspongia(Euplacella) cf.communis(Carter, 1881) followed byHaliclona(Gellius)cymaeformis(Esper, 1794), andAaptos suberitoides(Brøndsted, 1934). At one location, Chipeiyu, no sponges were observed. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination revealed relatively low similarity among most sampling sites. Large- and small-scale hydrological and habitat features are probably responsible for compositional variation of sponge assemblages among groups of sampling sites. Our richness analyses suggest that many more sponge species remain to be discovered in the Penghu Archipelago.
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González-Murcia, S., AG Coppock, M. Ekins, CN Battershill, and GP Jones. "Effects of exposure, depth and aspect on sponge communities on a coral reef." Marine Ecology Progress Series 685 (March 10, 2022): 111–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13981.
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Coral reef benthic communities include a wide range of taxa, but most attention has been given to hard coral assemblages, and how their cover and composition vary over strong spatial gradients. Much less is known about the spatial distribution and composition of coral reef sponge communities, which may become increasingly important on reefs with declining coral cover. Here, we examined the effects of exposure, depth, aspect and location on the cover and composition of sponge assemblages on a coral reef in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea. We quantified sponge cover and species composition along replicate line transects on 6 inshore reefs, sampling exposed (seaward) and sheltered (landward) sides of reefs at 5, 10 and 15 m depth, with reef aspect subdivided into slopes or walls along each transect. Although the substratum was generally dominated by corals and algae, sponges ranked 3rd, with an average of 13.1% cover, including 63 recognisable species. Morphologically there were 38 encrusting, 21 erect and 4 massive sponge species, with the encrusting sponges Lamellodysidea cf. chlorea and Dysidea sp1 exhibiting the highest cover. Sponge cover, species richness and species composition all exhibited complex interactions among depth, exposure and location. Sponge cover and species richness increased in transects with higher percentages of wall aspects, and assemblage structure differed between slopes and walls. Sponges are a diverse component of the benthos, with exposure, depth and reef aspect all contributing to explain spatial variation in assemblage structure.
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Rooks, Christine, James Kar-Hei Fang, Pål Tore Mørkved, Rui Zhao, Hans Tore Rapp, Joana R. Xavier, and Friederike Hoffmann. "Deep-sea sponge grounds as nutrient sinks: denitrification is common in boreo-Arctic sponges." Biogeosciences 17, no. 5 (March 6, 2020): 1231–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1231-2020.
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Abstract. Sponges are commonly known as general nutrient providers for the marine ecosystem, recycling organic matter into various forms of bioavailable nutrients such as ammonium and nitrate. In this study we challenge this view. We show that nutrient removal through microbial denitrification is a common feature in six cold-water sponge species from boreal and Arctic sponge grounds. Denitrification rates were quantified by incubating sponge tissue sections with 15NO3--amended oxygen-saturated seawater, mimicking conditions in pumping sponges, and de-oxygenated seawater, mimicking non-pumping sponges. It was not possible to detect any rates of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) using incubations with 15NH4+. Denitrification rates of the different sponge species ranged from below detection to 97 nmol N cm−3 sponge d−1 under oxic conditions, and from 24 to 279 nmol N cm−3 sponge d−1 under anoxic conditions. A positive relationship between the highest potential rates of denitrification (in the absence of oxygen) and the species-specific abundances of nirS and nirK genes encoding nitrite reductase, a key enzyme for denitrification, suggests that the denitrifying community in these sponge species is active and prepared for denitrification. The lack of a lag phase in the linear accumulation of the 15N-labelled N2 gas in any of our tissue incubations is another indicator for an active community of denitrifiers in the investigated sponge species. Low rates for coupled nitrification–denitrification indicate that also under oxic conditions, the nitrate used to fuel denitrification rates was derived rather from the ambient seawater than from sponge nitrification. The lack of nifH genes encoding nitrogenase, the key enzyme for nitrogen fixation, shows that the nitrogen cycle is not closed in the sponge grounds. The denitrified nitrogen, no matter its origin, is then no longer available as a nutrient for the marine ecosystem. These results suggest a high potential denitrification capacity of deep-sea sponge grounds based on typical sponge biomass on boreal and Arctic sponge grounds, with areal denitrification rates of 0.6 mmol N m−2 d−1 assuming non-pumping sponges and still 0.3 mmol N m−2 d−1 assuming pumping sponges. This is well within the range of denitrification rates of continental shelf sediments. Anthropogenic impact and global change processes affecting the sponge redox state may thus lead to deep-sea sponge grounds changing their role in marine ecosystem from being mainly nutrient sources to becoming mainly nutrient sinks.
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Pawlik, Joseph R., and Steven E. McMurray. "The Emerging Ecological and Biogeochemical Importance of Sponges on Coral Reefs." Annual Review of Marine Science 12, no. 1 (January 3, 2020): 315–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-010419-010807.
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With the decline of reef-building corals on tropical reefs, sponges have emerged as an important component of changing coral reef ecosystems. Seemingly simple, sponges are highly diverse taxonomically, morphologically, and in terms of their relationships with symbiotic microbes, and they are one of nature's richest sources of novel secondary metabolites. Unlike most other benthic organisms, sponges have the capacity to disrupt boundary flow as they pump large volumes of seawater into the water column. This seawater is chemically transformed as it passes through the sponge body as a consequence of sponge feeding, excretion, and the activities of microbial symbionts, with important effects on carbon and nutrient cycling and on the organisms in the water column and on the adjacent reef. In this review, we critically evaluate developments in the recently dynamic research area of sponge ecology on tropical reefs and provide a perspective for future studies.
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Chernogor, Lubov, Elizaveta Klimenko, Igor Khanaev, and Sergei Belikov. "Microbiome analysis of healthy and diseased sponges Lubomirskia baicalensis by using cell cultures of primmorphs." PeerJ 8 (May 26, 2020): e9080. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9080.
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Endemic sponges (Demosponges, Lubomirskiidae) dominate the fauna of the littoral zone of Lake Baikal. These freshwater sponges live in symbiosis with diverse eukaryotes and prokaryotes, including chlorophyll-containing microalgae. Within the last 5 years, the incidence of sponge disease and mortality events in Lake Baikal has increased. The etiology and ecology of these events remain unknown, in part because of the lack of models to study sponge-microbe interactions. In this work, we tested the use of primmorph cell cultures of Lubomirskia baicalensis as a tool for investigating the microbiomes of sponges. We infected primmorphs, cultured in vitro, with samples from diseased sponges and observed, by microscopy, disease symptoms, including loss of green symbionts, associated with mass die-off events. Subsequent sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments revealed that the microbiome community of healthy sponge and primmorphs formed a group separate from the community of diseased sponges and infected primmorphs. This confirms the suitability of the primmorph cell culture as a model sponge system. We also discovered mass mortality of green symbionts (Chlorophyta) was associated with a shift in the microbial communities of sponges/primmorphs. Microbes in diseased sponges, and infected primmorphs, belonged mainly to the phyla Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria and these families Flavobacteriaceae, Burkholderiaceae, and Moraxellaceae. Primmorphs cell culture may provide a model to study interactions between these bacteria and their host and elucidate the cause of mass mortality events.
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Fromont, Jane, Megan J. Huggett, Sabine K. Lengger, Kliti Grice, and Christine H. L. Schönberg. "Characterization of Leucetta prolifera, a calcarean cyanosponge from south-western Australia, and its symbionts." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 96, no. 2 (September 8, 2015): 541–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315415000491.
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The biology and ecology of calcarean sponges are not as well understood as they are for demosponges. Here, in order to gain new insights, particularly about symbiotic relationships, the calcarean sponge Leucetta prolifera was sampled from south-western Australia and examined for its assumed photosymbionts. Pulse amplitude modulated fluorometry and extraction of photopigments established that the sponge was photosynthetic. Molecular analysis of the bacterial symbionts via sequencing of the V1–V3 region of the 16S rDNA gene confirmed that between 5 and 22% of all sequences belonged to the phylum Cyanobacteria, depending on the individual sample, with the most dominant strain aligning with Hormoscilla spongeliae, a widely distributed sponge symbiont. Analysis of fatty acids suggested that the sponge obtains nutrition through photosynthates from its symbionts. The relationship is assumed to be mutualistic, with the sponge receiving dietary support and the cyanobacteria sheltering in the sponge tissues. We list all Calcarea presently known to harbour photosymbionts.
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Wulff, Janie L. "Ecological interactions of marine sponges." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 2 (February 1, 2006): 146–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-019.
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Sponges interact with most other organisms in marine systems as competitors, symbionts, hosts of symbionts, consumers, and prey. Considerable creative energy has been required to study and describe the amazing variety of sponge interactions, as sponges can hide symbionts deep inside, rapidly regenerate wounds from grazers, carry on important associations with unculturable microscopic organisms, and otherwise foil attempts to determine how they are interacting with other organisms. This review of sponge interactions covers (i) competition among sponge species, and between sponges and other sessile organisms; (ii) predation on sponges by sponge specialists and by opportunistic sponge feeders, and aspects of predation such as the importance of nutritional quality, trade-offs between growth and defense against predators, biogeographic patterns in predation, and the advantages of various techniques for studying predation; and (iii) symbiotic associations of sponges with a variety of organisms representing all types of life, and with results ranging from parasitism and disease to mutual benefit. A hint that some generalizations about ecological interactions of sponges may be possible is just becoming evident, as accumulating data appear to show taxonomic and geographic patterns; however, it is also clear that surprises will continue to emerge from every probing new study.
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Pawlik, Joseph R., Tse-Lynn Loh, and Steven E. McMurray. "A review of bottom-up vs. top-down control of sponges on Caribbean fore-reefs: what’s old, what’s new, and future directions." PeerJ 6 (January 31, 2018): e4343. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4343.
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Interest in the ecology of sponges on coral reefs has grown in recent years with mounting evidence that sponges are becoming dominant members of reef communities, particularly in the Caribbean. New estimates of water column processing by sponge pumping activities combined with discoveries related to carbon and nutrient cycling have led to novel hypotheses about the role of sponges in reef ecosystem function. Among these developments, a debate has emerged about the relative effects of bottom-up (food availability) and top-down (predation) control on the community of sponges on Caribbean fore-reefs. In this review, we evaluate the impact of the latest findings on the debate, as well as provide new insights based on older citations. Recent studies that employed different research methods have demonstrated that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and detritus are the principal sources of food for a growing list of sponge species, challenging the idea that the relative availability of living picoplankton is the sole proxy for sponge growth or abundance. New reports have confirmed earlier findings that reef macroalgae release labile DOC available for sponge nutrition. Evidence for top-down control of sponge community structure by fish predation is further supported by gut content studies and historical population estimates of hawksbill turtles, which likely had a much greater impact on relative sponge abundances on Caribbean reefs of the past. Implicit to investigations designed to address the bottom-up vs. top-down debate are appropriate studies of Caribbean fore-reef environments, where benthic communities are relatively homogeneous and terrestrial influences and abiotic effects are minimized. One recent study designed to test both aspects of the debate did so using experiments conducted entirely in shallow lagoonal habitats dominated by mangroves and seagrass beds. The top-down results from this study are reinterpreted as supporting past research demonstrating predator preferences for sponge species that are abundant in these lagoonal habitats, but grazed away in fore-reef habitats. We conclude that sponge communities on Caribbean fore-reefs of the past and present are largely structured by predation, and offer new directions for research, such as determining the environmental conditions under which sponges may be food-limited (e.g., deep sea, lagoonal habitats) and monitoring changes in sponge community structure as populations of hawksbill turtles rebound.
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Cerrano, Carlo, Giorgio Bavestrello, Barbara Calcinai, Riccardo Cattaneo-Vietti, and Antonio Sarà. "Asteroids eating sponges from Tethys Bay, East Antarctica." Antarctic Science 12, no. 4 (December 2000): 425–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095410200000050x.
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In many Antarctic benthic communities, sponges can be considered as keystone species on both hard and soft bottoms, affecting community structure and sediment texture (Cattaneo-Vietti et al. 2000). Moreover, Antarctic sponges are known to be exploited by numerous organisms as atrophic source. The most important Antarctic sponge predators are asteroids and molluscs which move and digest slowly. The activity of invertebrate predators is not affected by the sponge nutritional composition: toxicity and relative abundance are considered to be the most important factors regulating predation on the Antarctic sponge fauna (McClintock 1987).
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Gao, Zheng, Binglin Li, Chengchao Zheng, and Guangyi Wang. "Molecular Detection of Fungal Communities in the Hawaiian Marine Sponges Suberites zeteki and Mycale armata." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 74, no. 19 (August 1, 2008): 6091–101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.01315-08.
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ABSTRACT Symbiotic microbes play a variety of fundamental roles in the health and habitat ranges of their hosts. While prokaryotes in marine sponges have been broadly characterized, the diversity of sponge-inhabiting fungi has barely been explored using molecular approaches. Fungi are an important component of many marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and they may be an ecologically significant group in sponge-microbe interactions. This study tested the feasibility of using existing fungal primers for molecular analysis of sponge-associated fungal communities. None of the eight selected primer pairs yielded satisfactory results in fungal rRNA gene or internal transcribed spacer (ITS) clone library constructions. However, 3 of 10 denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) primer sets, which were designed to preferentially amplify fungal rRNA gene or ITS regions from terrestrial environmental samples, were successfully amplified from fungal targets in marine sponges. DGGE analysis indicated that fungal communities differ among different sponge species (Suberites zeteki and Mycale armata) and also vary between sponges and seawater. Sequence analysis of DGGE bands identified 23 and 21 fungal species from each of the two sponge species S. zeteki and M. armata, respectively. These species were representatives of 11 taxonomic orders and belonged to the phyla of Ascomycota (seven orders) and Basidiomycota (four orders). Five of these taxonomic orders (Malasseziales, Corticiales, Polyporales, Agaricales, and Dothideomycetes et Chaetothyriomcetes incertae sedis) have now been identified for the first time in marine sponges. Seven and six fungal species from S. zeteki and M. armata, respectively, are potentially new species because of their low sequence identity (≤98%) with their references in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis indicated sponge-derived sequences were clustered into “marine fungus clades” with those from other marine habitats. This is the first report of molecular analysis of fungal communities in marine sponges, adding depth and dimension to our understanding of sponge-associated microbial communities.
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McClintock, J. B., and J. J. Gauthier. "Antimicrobial activities of Antarctic sponges." Antarctic Science 4, no. 2 (June 1992): 179–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102092000270.
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Methanol-toluene extracts of 17 common Antarctic marine sponges collected from shallow waters in McMurdo Sound in October–December 1989 were tested for suppression of growth of bacteria (gram-positive and negative), yeasts and fungi. Weak to moderate levels of antimicrobial activity occurred in all sponges. Antimicrobial activity was more common when gram-negative bacteria were exposed to sponge extracts; 47% of the sponge extracts caused growth inhibition in one or more gram-positive bacteria, while 100% of the extracts caused growth inhibition in gram-negative bacteria. Particularly strong activity was observed against two species of gram-positive bacteria exposed to extracts of the sponge Latrunculia apicalis and against one strain of gram-negative bacterium exposed to extracts of the sponge Haliclona sp. Antimicrobial responses against yeasts and fungi were generally non-existent or weak, with the exception of the yeast Candida tropicalis, which was strongly inhibited by extracts of the sponges Homaxonella balfourensis, Dendrilla membranosa, Kirkpatrickia variolosa, Gellius benedeni, Cinachyra antarctica and Scolymastia joubinia. Antimicrobial activity in these polar sponges is widespread but generally weaker than that found in temperate and tropical sponges.
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Roberts, DE, and AR Davis. "Patterns in sponge (Porifera) assemblages on temperate coastal reefs off Sydney, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 47, no. 7 (1996): 897. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf9960897.
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Pattern and process in deep-water macrobenthic assemblages have largely been inferred from the study of such assemblages on shaded artificial structures in relatively shallow water. This paper examines patterns in the diversity and abundance of sponges to a depth of 50 m on coastal reefs off Sydney, Australia. Photo-quadrats were used to provide estimates of the species richness and percentage cover of sponges on three reefs. Sponge morphotype (i.e. encrusting or massive) was also recorded. Within-reef variation was examined by nesting three sites within each reef at each of three depths; replicate photo-quadrats (0.45 m², n = 5) were taken at each site. In addition, a remotely operated vehicle was used to collect voucher specimens. Over 50 species of sponge were identified, many of which have never been described. In general, sponge richness increased with depth, as did the number of erect or massive forms. In contrast, cover decreased with depth, particularly for encrusting sponges. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed considerable small-scale spatial and temporal variation in sponge distribution and abundance. A significant positive relationship between richness and cover was also apparent. In general, there were greater temporal changes in the patterns of abundance for the shallow reef assemblages at 20 m, relative to those at 30 m and 50 m.
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Herrnkind, William F., Mark J. Butler IV, John H. Hunt, and Michael Childress. "Role of physical refugia: implications from a mass sponge die-off in a lobster nursery in Florida." Marine and Freshwater Research 48, no. 8 (1997): 759. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf97193.
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In 1991 and 1992, cyanobacterial blooms depleted sponges, the primary refuge of juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters, in ~20% of the nursery in the Florida Keys, USA. Long-term data from the affected middle Keys were used to study the impact of sponge loss, juvenile abundance, recruitment and shelter use. A manipulative experiment (1991–93) involved artificial shelters on 27 ~0.5-h sites. Conditions on 19 sites over the affected ~ 500 km 2 area were compared before and after the blooms. The entire nursery (~10,000 km2) was surveyed to estimate the impact of the disturbance on total juvenile recruitment. Refuge and lobster abundances declined and the pattern of shelter use changed on previously sponge- rich sites without alternative shelter (solution holes, coral heads, cement blocks, etc.). Although sponge loss often locally reduced juvenile abundance, the juvenile lobster population overall declined by ~5%. The availability of alternative, previously underused shelter (solution holes, coral heads, etc.) in the affected region, continued production in the larger unaffected nursery region, and high postlarval supply that fortuitously coincided with sponge loss all offset a stronger effect. However, postlarval supply is unlikely to remain high until the sponges repopulate the middle Keys (10+ years), so a major factor ameliorating the effect of sponge loss on lobster recruitment may disappear.
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Leys, Sally P., and Nelson R. J. Lauzon. "Hexactinellid sponge ecology: growth rates and seasonality in deep water sponges." Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 230, no. 1 (November 1998): 111–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0022-0981(98)00088-4.
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Erwin, Patrick M., and Robert W. Thacker. "Incidence and identity of photosynthetic symbionts in Caribbean coral reef sponge assemblages." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87, no. 6 (December 2007): 1683–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315407058213.
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Marine sponges are abundant and diverse components of coral reefs and commonly harbour photosynthetic symbionts in these environments. The most prevalent symbiont is the cyanobacterium, Synechococcus spongiarum, isolated from taxonomically diverse hosts from geographically distant regions. We combined analyses of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations with line-intercept transect surveys to assess the abundance and diversity of reef sponges hosting photosymbionts on Caribbean coral reefs in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panamá. To identify symbionts, we designed PCR primers that specifically amplify a fragment of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene from S. spongiarum and used these primers to screen potential host sponges for the presence of this symbiont. Chlorophyll-a data divided the sponge community into two disparate groups, species with high (>125 μg/g, N=20) and low (<50 μg/g, N=38) chl-a concentrations. Only two species exhibited intermediate (50–125 μg/g) chl-a concentrations; these species represented hosts with reduced symbiont populations, including bleached Xestospongia muta and the mangrove form of Chondrilla nucula (C. nucula f. hermatypica). Sponges with high and intermediate chl-a concentrations accounted for over one-third of the species diversity and abundance of sponges in these communities. Most (85%) of these sponges harboured S. spongiarum. Molecular phylogenies reveal that S. spongiarum represents a sponge-specific Synechococcus lineage, distinct from free-living cyanobacteria. The prevalence of sponge–photosymbiont associations and dominance of symbiont communities by S. spongiarum suggest a major role of this cyanobacterium in sponge ecology and primary productivity on coral reefs.
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Easson, Cole G., Kenan O. Matterson, Christopher J. Freeman, Stephanie K. Archer, and Robert W. Thacker. "Variation in species diversity and functional traits of sponge communities near human populations in Bocas del Toro, Panama." PeerJ 3 (November 5, 2015): e1385. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1385.
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Recent studies have renewed interest in sponge ecology by emphasizing the functional importance of sponges in a broad array of ecosystem services. Many critically important habitats occupied by sponges face chronic stressors that might lead to alterations in their diversity, relatedness, and functional attributes. We addressed whether proximity to human activity might be a significant factor in structuring sponge community composition, as well as potential functional roles, by monitoring sponge diversity and abundance at two structurally similar sites that vary in distance to areas of high coastal development in Bocas Del Toro, Panama. We surveyed sponge communities at each site using belt transects and differences between two sites were compared using the following variables: (1) sponge species richness, Shannon diversity, and inverse Simpson’s diversity; (2) phylogenetic diversity; (3) taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity; (4) trait diversity and dissimilarity; and (5) phylogenetic and trait patterns in community structure. We observed significantly higher sponge diversity at Punta Caracol, the site most distant from human development (∼5 km). Although phylogenetic diversity was lower at Saigon Bay, the site adjacent to a large village including many houses, businesses, and an airport, the sites did not exhibit significantly different patterns of phylogenetic relatedness in species composition. However, each site had a distinct taxonomic and phylogenetic composition (beta diversity). In addition, the sponge community at Saigon included a higher relative abundance of sponges with high microbial abundance and high chlorophyllaconcentration, whereas the community at Punta Caracol had a more even distribution of these traits, yielding a significant difference in functional trait diversity between sites. These results suggest that lower diversity and potentially altered community function might be associated with proximity to human populations. This study highlights the importance of evaluating functional traits and phylogenetic diversity in addition to common diversity metrics when assessing potential environmental impacts on benthic communities.
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Duckworth, Alan R. "Substrate type affects the abundance and size of a coral-reef sponge between depths." Marine and Freshwater Research 67, no. 2 (2016): 246. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf14308.
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Substrate stability could influence abundance and size patterns of benthic organisms and thus affect community structure. Sponges on coral reefs are often found growing on calcareous rock and rubble that vary in stability, with loose rubble more easily moved by water flow, which is typically strongest in shallower water. Using the common Indo-Pacific sponge, Coscinoderma matthewsi (Lendenfeld, 1886), the present study examines the interaction of substrate type and depth (6 and 12m) on sponge abundance, size, morphology and skeletal properties (i.e. spongin fibres). Coscinoderma matthewsi was three times less common at 6m, with most sponges at this depth attached to rock, even though rubble had higher percentage cover. Mean sponge length, width and height were all greatest at 12m, with sponges growing largest on rock, probably because it is a more stable substrate for survival and growth. Morphology varied between depths, with most C. matthewsi individuals at 6m having a massive shape, whereas many sponges at 12m grew large lobes; this increases their surface area and possibly promotes filtration. Spongin density, length and width varied greatly among individuals; however, there was no consistent pattern across depth.
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Amsler, Margaret O., James B. Mcclintock, Charles D. Amsler, Robert A. Angus, and Bill J. Baker. "An evaluation of sponge-associated amphipods from the Antarctic Peninsula." Antarctic Science 21, no. 6 (September 2, 2009): 579–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102009990356.
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AbstractNearshore marine benthic algal communities along the western Antarctic Peninsula harbour extremely high densities of amphipods that probably play important roles in nutrient and energy flow. This study extends our evaluation of the importance of amphipods in the nearshore Antarctic Peninsular benthic communities and focuses on sponge associations. We found a mean density of 542 amphipods per litre (L) sponge for twelve species of ecologically dominant sponges. The highest mean density (1295 amphipods per L sponge) occurred withDendrilla membranosaPallas. The amphipod community associated with the 12 sponges was diverse (38 species), with mean species richness values ranging from two to eight species. Mean Shannon diversity indices (H’) ranged from 0.52 to 1.49. Amphipods did not appear to have obligate host relationships. Qualitative gut content analyses indicated that 12 of the 38 amphipod species were found with sponge spicules in their guts. However, only one of the amphipods,Echiniphimedia hodgsoniWalker, had considerable amounts of spicules in the gut. Organic lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts of the twelve sponges were presented in alginate food disks to a sympatric omnivorous amphipod in feeding bioassays and extracts of only two sponges deterred feeding.
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Rix, Laura, Marta Ribes, Rafel Coma, Martin T. Jahn, Jasper M. de Goeij, Dick van Oevelen, Stéphane Escrig, Anders Meibom, and Ute Hentschel. "Heterotrophy in the earliest gut: a single-cell view of heterotrophic carbon and nitrogen assimilation in sponge-microbe symbioses." ISME Journal 14, no. 10 (June 29, 2020): 2554–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41396-020-0706-3.
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Abstract Sponges are the oldest known extant animal-microbe symbiosis. These ubiquitous benthic animals play an important role in marine ecosystems in the cycling of dissolved organic matter (DOM), the largest source of organic matter on Earth. The conventional view on DOM cycling through microbial processing has been challenged by the interaction between this efficient filter-feeding host and its diverse and abundant microbiome. Here we quantify, for the first time, the role of host cells and microbial symbionts in sponge heterotrophy. We combined stable isotope probing and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry to compare the processing of different sources of DOM (glucose, amino acids, algal-produced) and particulate organic matter (POM) by a high-microbial abundance (HMA) and low-microbial abundance (LMA) sponge with single-cell resolution. Contrary to common notion, we found that both microbial symbionts and host choanocyte (i.e. filter) cells and were active in DOM uptake. Although all DOM sources were assimilated by both sponges, higher microbial biomass in the HMA sponge corresponded to an increased capacity to process a greater variety of dissolved compounds. Nevertheless, in situ feeding data demonstrated that DOM was the primary carbon source for both the LMA and HMA sponge, accounting for ~90% of their heterotrophic diets. Microbes accounted for the majority (65–87%) of DOM assimilated by the HMA sponge (and ~60% of its total heterotrophic diet) but <5% in the LMA sponge. We propose that the evolutionary success of sponges is due to their different strategies to exploit the vast reservoir of DOM in the ocean.
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Kefalas, E., J. Castritsi-Catharios, and H. Miliou. "The impacts of scallop dredging on sponge assemblages in the Gulf of Kalloni (Aegean Sea, northeastern Mediterranean)." ICES Journal of Marine Science 60, no. 2 (January 1, 2003): 402–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1054-3139(03)00012-2.
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Abstract Concerns have been raised on the impact of bottom-fishing activities in the shallow Gulf of Kalloni (Lesvos Island, Aegean Sea). Fishing with demersal gears was banned in 1995, but the Gulf was reopened in 1998 only for scallop dredging using the “lagamna” gear. Two series of samplings were done with this gear in 1998 and 1999 (October) before the beginning of scallop-fishing period (from November up to March), aiming to investigate possible changes in sponge assemblages. Sponges (Porifera) were the most abundant meso-megafaunal benthic organisms in the Gulf, besides scallops and other bivalves. Total abundance, number of species, species diversity, species richness and evenness of sponge assemblages reduced significantly from the year 1998 to 1999. The population of the excavating Cliona celata, the only infaunal sponge species found in the Gulf, decreased. Multivariate analysis on the abundance data of epibenthic sponge species revealed a clear separation of samples collected during the 2 years, indicating changes in the structure of sponge assemblages. The distinguishing species included a variety of growth forms: massive (Mycale massa, Suberites domuncula and Tethya citrina), lobose (Suberites massa, Tedania anhelans and Halichondria panicea), erect branching (Raspailia viminalis), encrusting (Crambe crambe) and cushion-shaped (Mycale contarenii and Chondrilla nuculla) sponges. Among these species, only S. massa increased its abundance in 1999. All others decreased. No significant loss of information occurred when multivariate analysis was applied to abundance data of genera or families. This comparative study demonstrated that the time interval between two consecutive scallop-fishing periods was insufficient for the recovery of sponge assemblages. It is concluded that scallop dredging causes long-term changes in the structure and biodiversity of sponge assemblages in the Gulf of Kalloni. An improved strategy of fishery management is required in future for the conservation of living resources in this Gulf.
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Andjus, Stefan, Vladimir Lazović, Nadja Nikolić, Bojana Tubić, Vera Nikolić, and Momir Paunović. "Distribution of freshwater sponges in Serbia." Fundamental and Applied Limnology / Archiv für Hydrobiologie 193, no. 3 (April 21, 2020): 195–204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/fal/2019/1242.
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As data on the distribution of freshwater sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae, Spongillida) in Serbia are extremely scarce, we investigated the main Serbian rivers and lakes with respect to Porifera occurrence, for which 17 lotic and 11 lentic water bodies were selected. Sponges were found in 11 of 17 rivers (62 specimens in total) and in 3 of 11 lakes/reservoirs (seven specimens in total). Classical morphological spicule analysis was coupled with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene sequencing for species identification. Among the 69 collected speci- mens, five sponge species of the family Spongillidae have been identified: Ephydatia fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1759), Spongilla lacustris (Linnaeus, 1759), Ephydatia muelleri (Lieberkühn, 1856), Trochospongilla horrida Weltner, 1893, and Eunapius fragilis (Leidy, 1851). The most frequently found sponge in Serbian rivers was E. fluviatilis (45% of all specimens), while the least frequent was E. fragilis (6 % of all specimens). The Tisa river has the highest sponge diversity (four species). In lentic water bodies, only E. fluviatilis (four specimens) and S. lacustris (three specimens) were found. In general, sponges were infrequent and their abundance was low in Serbian fresh waters. While sponges seem to tolerate significant variations of physical and chemical parameters, some optimal values can be established.
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Pisera, A. "Palaeontology of sponges — a review." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 2 (February 1, 2006): 242–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z05-169.
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The fossil record of sponges is a very old one, and begins in the Precambrian, but is rather incomplete. Only those sponges with a rigid skeleton, i.e., Hexactinosida and Lychniscosida (both hexactinellids), lithistids (demosponges with desmas), and sponges with a massive calcareous skeleton (polyphyletic demosponges and Calcarea) have a more or less continuous fossil record that is, however, inadequately studied, especially from the Tertiary. The beginning of sponge diversification during the Cambrian is relatively well known thanks to their very good preservation, from the Chengjiang fauna in China and Burgess Shale in Canada, where even sponges with unfused spicules occur. The majority of palaeontologic studies are concerned with taxonomic aspects of fossil sponge faunas, but investigations of the microstructure of the calcareous skeleton, of phylogeny (especially of the early forms), and of various aspects of their ecology have produced important results. Future research still has to fill gaps in the knowledge of fossil faunas, especially "soft" sponges, and in the phylogeny of sponges (especially for the polyphyletic groups like lithistids), but new approaches such as studies of biomarkers are already emerging.
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Itskovich, Valeria, Oxana Kaluzhnaya, Olga Glyzina, Ragothaman Prathiviraj, George Seghal Kiran, and Joseph Selvin. "Microbiome Changes of Endemic Lake Baikal Sponges during Bleaching Syndrome Development." Diversity 13, no. 12 (December 8, 2021): 653. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d13120653.
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The sponge (Porifera) microbiome is an indicator of both natural and anthropogenic stressors. Studying Baikal sponge microbial communities could help reveal if there is a connection between bacterial symbionts and a mass sponge bleaching event that was recently detected; 16S rRNA sequencing was performed among healthy and diseased freshwater sponges of Lubomirskia baikalensis and Baikalospongia intermedia, which were collected from Lake Baikal, Russia. A phylum-based taxonomic classification showed that Chlorophyta, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria were most abundant across samples. When comparing healthy and diseased L. baikalensis samples, large variations in microbial composition were found at the phylum level. Comparative analyses, which were performed for the first time for B. intermedia, showed a decrease in Chlorophyta (unicellular green algae) and an increase in Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria in diseased specimens. At the genus level, the Opitutus (Verrucomicrobia), Planctomyces, and Nitrospira content increased in all diseased sponges, which reflected a general tendency toward an increase in Cyanobacteria in diseased sponges. Comparative analysis of the diseased and healthy sponge metagenomes showed that diseased sponges underwent various nonspecific changes in bacterial composition. The bacterial community composition is probably influenced by sponge type and degree of disease affection.
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Maldonado, Manuel. "The ecology of the sponge larva." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 2 (February 1, 2006): 175–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z05-177.
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The present work summarizes the progress attained in the study of sponge larval ecology since the state-of-the-art reviews performed in the 1970s and stresses the major weaknesses in our current understanding. Most available information on this subject comes from laboratory studies, with just occasional field observations or experiments. The data are also strongly biased because they are mostly derived from just one larval type out the eight types known in the phylum Porifera. Descriptive studies on larval histology are relatively abundant, but investigations directed at unravelling the cytological basis of the main larval behaviors are scarce. Most aspects of basic larval metabolism and sensing processes remain largely not investigated. Modelling of larval ecology is virtually lacking, with no serious attempt to investigate how the major features of larval ecology affect the structure and dynamics of sponge populations. In summary, the ecology of the sponge larva needs further research attention if we are to achieve a global understanding of the biology of the phylum Porifera.
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Gobbato, Jacopo, Andrea Magrini, Jaaziel E. García-Hernández, Francesca Virdis, Paolo Galli, Davide Seveso, and Simone Montano. "Spatial Ecology of the Association between Demosponges and Nemalecium lighti at Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean." Diversity 14, no. 8 (July 28, 2022): 607. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14080607.
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Coral reefs are known to be among the most biodiverse marine ecosystems and one of the richest in terms of associations and species interactions, especially those involving invertebrates such as corals and sponges. Despite that, our knowledge about cryptic fauna and their ecological role remains remarkably scarce. This study aimed to address this gap by defining for the first time the spatial ecology of the association between the epibiont hydrozoan Nemalecium lighti and the Porifera community of shallow coral reef systems at Bonaire. In particular, the host range, prevalence, and distribution of the association were examined in relation to different sites, depths, and dimensions of the sponge hosts. We report Nemalecium lighti to be in association with 9 out of 16 genera of sponges encountered and 15 out of 16 of the dive sites examined. The prevalence of the hydroid–sponge association in Bonaire reef was 6.55%, with a maximum value of over 30%. This hydrozoan has been found to be a generalist symbiont, displaying a strong preference for sponges of the genus Aplysina, with no significant preference in relation to depth. On the contrary, the size of the host appeared to influence the prevalence of association, with large tubular sponges found to be the preferred host. Although further studies are needed to better understand the biological and ecological reason for these results, this study improved our knowledge of Bonaire’s coral reef cryptofauna diversity and its interspecific associations.
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Hendry, Katharine R., Melanie J. Leng, Laura F. Robinson, Hilary J. Sloane, Jerzy Blusztjan, Rosalind E. M. Rickaby, R. Bastian Georg, and Alex N. Halliday. "Silicon isotopes in Antarctic sponges: an interlaboratory comparison." Antarctic Science 23, no. 1 (August 20, 2010): 34–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000593.
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AbstractCycling of deepwater silicon (Si) within the Southern Ocean, and its transport into other ocean basins, may be an important player in the uptake of atmospheric carbon, and global climate. Recent work has shown that the Si isotope (denoted by δ29Si or δ30Si) composition of deep sea sponges reflects the availability of dissolved Si during growth, and is a potential proxy for past deep and intermediate water silicic acid concentrations. As with any geochemical tool, it is essential to ensure analytical precision and accuracy, and consistency between methodologies and laboratories. Analytical bias may exist between laboratories, and sponge material may have matrix effects leading to offsets between samples and standards. Here, we report an interlaboratory evaluation of Si isotopes in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic sponges. We review independent methods for measuring Si isotopes in sponge spicules. Our results show that separate subsamples of non-homogenized sponges measured by three methods yield isotopic values within analytical error for over 80% of specimens. The relationship between δ29Si and δ30Si in sponges is consistent with kinetic fractionation during biomineralization. Sponge Si isotope analyses show potential as palaeoceaongraphic archives, and we suggest Southern Ocean sponge material would form a useful additional reference standard for future spicule analyses.
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Freeman, Christopher J., Cole G. Easson, and David M. Baker. "Niche structure of marine sponges from temperate hard-bottom habitats within Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 96, no. 2 (April 10, 2015): 559–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315415000363.
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Many species of marine sponges on tropical reefs host abundant and diverse symbiont communities capable of varied metabolic pathways. While such communities may confer a nutritional benefit to some hosts (termed High Microbial Abundance (HMA) sponges), other sympatric species host only sparse symbiont communities (termed Low Microbial Abundance (LMA) sponges) and obtain a majority of their C and N from local sources. Sponge communities are widespread across large latitudinal gradients, however, and recent evidence suggests that these symbioses may also extend beyond the tropics. We investigated the role that symbionts play in the ecology of sponges from the temperate, hard-bottom reefs of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary by calculating the niche size (as standard ellipse area (SEAc)) and assessing the relative placement of five HMA and four LMA sponge species within bivariate (δ13C and δ15N) isotopic space. Although photosymbiont abundance was low across most of these species, sponges were widespread across isotopic niche space, implying that microbial metabolism confers an ecological benefit to temperate sponges by expanding host metabolic capability. To examine how these associations vary across a latitudinal gradient, we also compared the relative placement of temperate and tropical conspecifics within isotopic space. Surprisingly, shifts in sponge δ13C and δ15N values between these regions suggest a reduced reliance on symbiont-derived nutrients in temperate sponges compared with their tropical conspecifics. Despite this, symbiotic sponges in temperate systems likely have a competitive advantage, allowing them to grow and compete for space within these habitats.
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Hunting, Ellard R., Rob W. M. van Soest, Harm G. van der Geest, Anne Vos, and Adolphe O. Debrot. "Diversity and spatial heterogeneity of mangrove associated sponges of Curaçao and Aruba." Contributions to Zoology 77, no. 4 (December 22, 2008): 205–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18759866-07704001.
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Sponges are major epibionts of mangrove roots in the Caribbean. Mangrove sponge communities in the Caribbean mainly consist of species that are typical to this habitat and community compositions often differ from those found on coral reefs nearby. Heterogeneity in species distributions between locations and within locations between roots is often reported. This study quantifies the diversity and abundance of mangrove associated sponges in the inner bays of Curaçao and Aruba and correlates variability of regional sponge diversity with environmental variables measured along the surveyed sites. Tannin concentrations vary between mangrove roots, and were correlated to sponge cover as a possible cause for habitat heterogeneity on a smaller scale. A total of 22 species was observed. Heterogeneity in species richness and abundance was apparent, and several sponge species were restricted in their depth of occurrence. Statistical data reduction suggests that sponge diversity may be partly explained by the distance towards adjacent reefs and to the degree of eutrophication, in which the latter is comprised of rate of planktonic respiration, total carbon and turbidity. Tannin concentrations did not determine within locality species heterogeneity as a priori postulated, but were positively related to sponge cover for reasons not yet elucidated.
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Bell, James J. "Topics in Sponge Biology and Ecology." Open Marine Biology Journal 4, no. 1 (October 12, 2010): 1–2. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874450801004010001.
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Becerro, Mikel A. "Quantitative trends in sponge ecology research." Marine Ecology 29, no. 2 (June 2008): 167–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0485.2008.00234.x.
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Ricciardi, Anthony, Fred L. Snyder, David O. Kelch, and Henry M. Reiswig. "Lethal and sublethal effects of sponge overgrowth on introduced dreissenid mussels in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 52, no. 12 (December 1, 1995): 2695–703. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f95-858.
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Freshwater sponges in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system overgrow and kill introduced zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) on solid substrates. Sponges overgrow and smother mussel siphons, thereby interfering with normal feeding and respiration. We tested the significance of sponge-enhanced mussel mortality by repeated sampling at several sites where both organisms were abundant in the upper St. Lawrence River and on an artificial reef in central Lake Erie. A small proportion (<10%) of the dreissenid population at each site was overgrown by sponge. Mussel colonies that were completely overgrown for 1 or more months invariably contained a significantly greater proportion of dead mussels than local uncovered populations. Mussels that survived prolonged periods (4–6 months) of overgrowth suffered significant tissue weight losses. Laboratory experiments and field observations suggest that dreissenids are not able to colonize sponges; therefore, sponges should always dominate competitive overgrowth situations. The overall impact of sponges on dreissenid populations in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system will probably be negligible because of the high rate of mussel recruitment and the environmental constraints on sponge growth; however, our results suggest that sponges may control mussel abundance locally.
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Conley, Daniel J., and Claire L. Schelske. "Potential Role of Sponge Spicules in Influencing the Silicon Biogeochemistry of Florida Lakes." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 50, no. 2 (February 1, 1993): 296–302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f93-034.
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Amorphous silica, e.g. biogenic silica (BSi), contained in diatoms and in sponge spicules was estimated by time course extraction from surficial sediment samples of 82 Florida lakes. Separation of diatom BSi from sponge BSi was based on the observation that diatoms completely dissolve within 2 h of digestion at 85 °C in 1% Na2CO3 whereas sponge spicules, which are generally larger than diatoms, take longer to dissolve. Sponge samples from four lakes in northern Wisconsin ranged widely in the time required to dissolve completely (1.5–12 h), but no significant differences were observed in the rates of dissolution among the lakes. In Florida lake sediments, diatom BSi averaged 49.2 (± 48.4) mg∙g−1 and sponge BSi averaged 31.5 (± 35.8) mg∙g−1, with sponge BSi comprising on average 40% of the total amorphous silica extracted. The procedure for separating diatom BSi from sponge BSi underestimates sponge BSi because smaller and/or lightly silicified components of sponges are completely dissolved early in the digestion. However, because sponge spicules comprise a significant fraction of total amorphous silica extracted, we hypothesize that sponge spicules, which on average are larger than diatoms and require a longer time for complete dissolution, may constitute an important sink for BSi in Florida lakes.
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IDAN, TAL, SIGAL SHEFER, TAMAR FELDSTEIN, RUTH YAHEL, DOROTHEE HUCHON, and MICHA ILAN. "Shedding light on an East-Mediterranean mesophotic sponge ground community and the regional sponge fauna." Mediterranean Marine Science 19, no. 1 (May 23, 2018): 84. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.13853.
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Sponges are a diverse and abundant phylum, globally inhabiting many hard-bottom habitats. However, data on the East-Mediterranean sponge communities are scarce, outdated, and limited to the shallow waters. This study sought to expand the knowledge of the poriferan fauna along the Mediterranean shore of Israel. A newly-discovered mesophotic sponge ground at ~100 m depth was studied using a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV), in addition to shallow-water surveys conducted by scuba diving. In the mesophotic ecosystem, sponges, serving as environmental engineers, create complex 3D structures that attract invertebrates and fish. The results of the quantitative survey of this mesophotic sponge ground reveal that it maintains a rich and diverse community with an estimated 63 species, and a high sponge percent coverage (~35%). Several of the mesophotic species are documented for the first time from the Levant basin, while others might be novel species. Here we identified over 100 sponge species along the Mediterranean coast of Israel, 33 of which were sampled from the mesophotic sponge ground. The updated sponge list supports the hypothesis that the Levantine sponge diversity is not as species-poor, compared to other parts of the Mediterranean Sea, as has previously been considered. In addition, shallow and mesophotic sponge community compositions were found to only partially overlap. Moreover, the latter harbors some species that have disappeared from the shallow habitats, and only a few species thrive along the entire depth range. We suggest that mesophotic sponge grounds may serve as refugia for species stressed by the rising temperatures in shallow waters and should be protected from anthropogenic influences such as oil and gas drilling.
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Erwin, Patrick M., Lucía Pita, Susanna López-Legentil, and Xavier Turon. "Stability of Sponge-Associated Bacteria over Large Seasonal Shifts in Temperature and Irradiance." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 78, no. 20 (August 10, 2012): 7358–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.02035-12.
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ABSTRACTComplex microbiomes reside in marine sponges and consist of diverse microbial taxa, including functional guilds that may contribute to host metabolism and coastal marine nutrient cycles. Our understanding of these symbiotic systems is based primarily on static accounts of sponge microbiota, while their temporal dynamics across seasonal cycles remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated temporal variation in bacterial symbionts of three sympatric sponges (Irciniaspp.) over 1.5 years in the northwestern (NW) Mediterranean Sea, using replicated terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library analyses of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences. Bacterial symbionts inIrciniaspp. exhibited host species-specific structure and remarkable stability throughout the monitoring period, despite large fluctuations in temperature and irradiance. In contrast, seawater bacteria exhibited clear seasonal shifts in community structure, indicating that different ecological constraints act on free-living and on symbiotic marine bacteria. Symbiont profiles were dominated by persistent, sponge-specific bacterial taxa, notably affiliated with phylogenetic lineages capable of photosynthesis, nitrite oxidation, and sulfate reduction. Variability in the sponge microbiota was restricted to rare symbionts and occurred most prominently in warmer seasons, coincident with elevated thermal regimes. Seasonal stability of the sponge microbiota supports the hypothesis of host-specific, stable associations between bacteria and sponges. Further, the core symbiont profiles revealed in this study provide an empirical baseline for diagnosing abnormal shifts in symbiont communities. Considering that these sponges have suffered recent, episodic mass mortalities related to thermal stresses, this study contributes to the development of model sponge-microbe symbioses for assessing the link between symbiont fluctuations and host health.
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KELLY, MICHELLE, and ASHLEY A. ROWDEN. "New sponge species from hydrothermal vent and cold seep sites off New Zealand." Zootaxa 4576, no. 3 (April 3, 2019): 401. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4576.3.1.
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Three new sponge species in the demosponge families Chalinidae Gray and Suberitidae Schmidt are described from the Calypso hydrothermal vent field in the Bay of Plenty, and one species from seep sites along the Hikurangi Margin, to the east of the North Island, New Zealand. The Calypso hydrothermal vent field is dominated by the chalinid sponge Haliclona (Soestella) battershilli sp. nov., a large, cream-coloured, finely branched species, and the less common H. (Halichoclona) sonnae sp. nov., an encrusting, translucent white, cushion-shaped species. The third species, the suberitid sponge Protosuberites novaezelandiae sp. nov., forms encrustations with digitate projections. Haliclona (Halichoclona) sonnae sp. nov. and Protosuberites novaezelandiae sp. nov. represent new subgenus and genus records, respectively, for New Zealand waters. The methanotrophic suberitid sponge, Pseudosuberites thurberi sp. nov., is found at many of the cold seep sites on the Hikurangi Margin where it forms extensive, encrusting to digitate mats. The description of these species provides a basis for the future study of the ecology of sponges that are apparently endemic to vent and seep habitats off New Zealand.
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Łukowiak, Magdalena. "Utilizing sponge spicules in taxonomic, ecological and environmental reconstructions: a review." PeerJ 8 (December 18, 2020): e10601. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10601.
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Most sponges produce skeletons formed by spicules, structural elements that develop in a wide variety of sizes and tridimensional shapes. The morphologies of spicules are often unique to clade- or even species-level taxa which makes them particularly useful in taxonomic assignments. When dead sponge bodies disintegrate, spicules become incorporated into sediments and sometimes accumulate into enormous agglomerations called spicule mats or beds, or fossilize to form special type of rocks called the spiculites. The record of fossil and subfossil sponge spicules is extraordinarily rich and often serves as a basis for far-reaching reconstructions of sponge communities, though spicules are also bearers of significant ecological and environmental information. Specific requirements and preferences of sponges can be used to interpret the environment in which they lived, and reconstruct oscillations in water depths, pH, temperatures, and other parameters, providing snapshots of past climate conditions. In turn, the silicon isotope compositions in spicules (δ30Si) are being increasingly often used to estimate the level of silicic acid in the marine settings throughout the geological history, which enables to reconstruct the past silica cycle and ocean circulation. This contribution provides a review of the use of sponge spicules in reconstructions of sponge communities, their ecology, and environments, and aims to detect the pertinent gaps in their utilization. Even though spicules are well known for their significance as bearers of taxonomic, ecological, and environmental data, their potential remains to be fully exploited.