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Artana C, Capitani L, Santos Garcia G, Angelini R, Coll M. Food web trophic control modulates tropical Atlantic reef ecosystems response to marine heat wave intensity and duration. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 38790092 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are episodes of anomalous warming in the ocean that can last from a few days to years. MHWs have different characteristics in terms of intensity, duration and frequency and generate thermal stress in marine ecosystems. In reef ecosystems, they are one of the main causes of the decreased presence and abundance of corals, invertebrates and fish. The deleterious capacity of thermal stress often depends on biotic factors, such as the trophic control of predators on prey. Despite the evidence of thermal stress and biotic factors affecting individual species, the combined effects of both stressors on entire reef ecosystems are much less studied. Here, using a food web modelling approach, we estimated the rate of change in species' biomass due to different MHW characteristics. Specifically, we modelled the mechanistic link between species' consumption rate and seawater temperature (thermal stressor), simulating species' biomass dynamics for different MHW characteristics under different trophic control assumptions (top-down, mixed trophic control and bottom-up). We find that total reef ecosystem biomass declined by 10% ± 5% under MHWs with severe intensity and a top-down control assumption. The bottom-up control assumption moderates the total ecosystem biomass reduction by 5% ± 5%. Irrespective of the MHW characteristics and the trophic control assumption, the most substantial biomass changes occur among top, mesopredators and corals (5% to 20% ± 10%). We show that reef ecosystems where predators exert top-down control on prey are prone to suffer species abundance declines under strong MHW events. We identify food web trophic control as a crucial driver that modulates the impacts of MHWs. Overall, our results provide a unified understanding of the interplay between abiotic stressors and biotic factors in reef ecosystems under extreme thermal events, offering insights into present baselines and future ecological states for reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Artana
- Institute of Marine Science (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratoire LOCEAN-IPSL, Sorbonne Université (UPMC, Université Paris 6), CNRS, IRD, MNHN, Paris, France
| | - Leonardo Capitani
- Post-Graduate Program in Ecology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel Santos Garcia
- Post-Graduate Program in Ecology, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo Angelini
- Departamento de Engenharia Civil e Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil
| | - Marta Coll
- Institute of Marine Science (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
- Ecopath International Initiative (EII), Barcelona, Spain
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Efremova J, Mazzella V, Mirasole A, Teixidó N, Núñez-Pons L. Divergent morphological and microbiome strategies of two neighbor sponges to cope with low pH in Mediterranean CO 2 vents. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170171. [PMID: 38246375 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Ocean Acidification (OA) profoundly impacts marine biochemistry, resulting in a net loss of biodiversity. Porifera are often forecasted as winner taxa, yet the strategies to cope with OA can vary and may generate diverse fitness status. In this study, microbial shifts based on the V3-V4 16S rRNA gene marker were compared across neighboring Chondrosia reniformis sponges with high microbial abundance (HMA), and Spirastrella cunctatrix with low microbial abundance (LMA) microbiomes. Sponge holobionts co-occurred in a CO2 vent system with low pH (pHT ~ 7.65), and a control site with Ambient pH (pHT ~ 8.05) off Ischia Island, representing natural analogues to study future OA, and species' responses in the face of global environmental change. Microbial diversity and composition varied in both species across sites, yet at different levels. Increased numbers of core taxa were detected in S. cunctatrix, and a more diverse and flexible core microbiome was reported in C. reniformis under OA. Vent S. cunctatrix showed morphological impairment, along with signs of putative stress-induced dysbiosis, manifested by: 1) increases in alpha diversity, 2) shifts from sponge related microbes towards seawater microbes, and 3) high dysbiosis scores. Chondrosia reniformis in lieu, showed no morphological variation, low dysbiosis scores, and experienced a reduction in alpha diversity and less number of core taxa in vent specimens. Therefore, C. reniformis is hypothesized to maintain an state of normobiosis and acclimatize to OA, thanks to a more diverse, and likely metabolically versatile microbiome. A consortium of differentially abundant microbes was identified associated to either vent or control sponges, and chiefly related to carbon, nitrogen and sulfur-metabolisms for nutrient cycling and vitamin production, as well as probiotic symbionts in C. reniformis. Diversified symbiont associates supporting functional convergence could be the key behind resilience towards OA, yet specific acclimatization traits should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Efremova
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Valerio Mazzella
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Ischia 80077, Naples, Italy.
| | - Alice Mirasole
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Ischia 80077, Naples, Italy.
| | - Núria Teixidó
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Ischia 80077, Naples, Italy; Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-mer, France.
| | - Laura Núñez-Pons
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
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Reigel AM, Easson CG, Apprill A, Freeman CJ, Bartley MM, Fiore CL. Sponge-derived matter is assimilated by coral holobionts. Commun Biol 2024; 7:146. [PMID: 38308082 PMCID: PMC10837432 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05836-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Coral reef biodiversity is maintained by a complex network of nutrient recycling among organisms. Sponges assimilate nutrients produced by other organisms like coral and algae, releasing them as particulate and dissolved matter, but to date, only a single trophic link between sponge-derived dissolved matter and a macroalgae has been identified. We sought to determine if sponge-coral nutrient exchange is reciprocal using a stable isotope 'pulse-chase' experiment to trace the uptake of 13C and 15N sponge-derived matter by the coral holobiont for three coral species (Acropora cervicornis, Orbicella faveolata, and Eunicea flexuosa). Coral holobionts incorporated 2.3-26.8x more 15N than 13C from sponge-derived matter and A. cervicornis incorporated more of both C and N than the other corals. Differential isotopic incorporation among coral species aligns with their ecophysiological characteristics (e.g., morphology, Symbiodiniaceae density). Our results elucidate a recycling pathway on coral reefs that has implications for improving coral aquaculture and management approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cole G Easson
- Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Amy Apprill
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, RI, USA
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Page HN, McCoy S, Spencer RGM, Burnham KA, Hewett C, Johnson M. Effects of ocean acidification on growth and photophysiology of two tropical reef macroalgae. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286661. [PMID: 37976304 PMCID: PMC10655979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroalgae can modify coral reef community structure and ecosystem function through a variety of mechanisms, including mediation of biogeochemistry through photosynthesis and the associated production of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Ocean acidification has the potential to fuel macroalgal growth and photosynthesis and alter DOC production, but responses across taxa and regions are widely varied and difficult to predict. Focusing on algal taxa from two different functional groups on Caribbean coral reefs, we exposed fleshy (Dictyota spp.) and calcifying (Halimeda tuna) macroalgae to ambient and low seawater pH for 25 days in an outdoor experimental system in the Florida Keys. We quantified algal growth, calcification, photophysiology, and DOC production across pH treatments. We observed no significant differences in the growth or photophysiology of either species between treatments, except for lower chlorophyll b concentrations in Dictyota spp. in response to low pH. We were unable to quantify changes in DOC production. The tolerance of Dictyota and Halimeda to near-future seawater carbonate chemistry and stability of photophysiology, suggests that acidification alone is unlikely to change biogeochemical processes associated with algal photosynthesis in these species. Additional research is needed to fully understand how taxa from these functional groups sourced from a wide range of environmental conditions regulate photosynthesis (via carbon uptake strategies) and how this impacts their DOC production. Understanding these species-specific responses to future acidification will allow us to more accurately model and predict the indirect impacts of macroalgae on coral health and reef ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather N. Page
- Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Mote Marine Laboratory, Summerland Key, FL, United States of America
- Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA, United States of America
| | - Sophie McCoy
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | | | - Katherine A. Burnham
- Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Mote Marine Laboratory, Summerland Key, FL, United States of America
| | - Clay Hewett
- Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Mote Marine Laboratory, Summerland Key, FL, United States of America
- Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Fl, United States of America
| | - Maggie Johnson
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, United States of America
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Maggioni F, Bell JJ, Pujo-Pay M, Shaffer M, Cerrano C, Lemonnier H, Letourneur Y, Rodolfo-Metalpa R. Sponge organic matter recycling: Reduced detritus production under extreme environmental conditions. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 190:114869. [PMID: 37023545 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Sponges are a key component of coral reef ecosystems and play an important role in carbon and nutrient cycles. Many sponges are known to consume dissolved organic carbon and transform this into detritus, which moves through detrital food chains and eventually to higher trophic levels via what is known as the sponge loop. Despite the importance of this loop, little is known about how these cycles will be impacted by future environmental conditions. During two years (2018 and 2020), we measured the organic carbon, nutrient recycling, and photosynthetic activity of the massive HMA, photosymbiotic sponge Rhabdastrella globostellata at the natural laboratory of Bouraké in New Caledonia, where the physical and chemical composition of seawater regularly change according to the tide. We found that while sponges experienced acidification and low dissolved oxygen at low tide in both sampling years, a change in organic carbon recycling whereby sponges stopped producing detritus (i.e., the sponge loop) was only found when sponges also experienced higher temperature in 2020. Our findings provide new insights into how important trophic pathways may be affected by changing ocean conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Maggioni
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa 98800, New Caledonia; Labex ICONA International CO(2) Natural Analogues Network, JSPS, Japan.
| | - James J Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Mireille Pujo-Pay
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, LOMIC, F-66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Megan Shaffer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Carlo Cerrano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Hugues Lemonnier
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa 98800, New Caledonia
| | - Yves Letourneur
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa 98800, New Caledonia
| | - Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa 98800, New Caledonia; Labex ICONA International CO(2) Natural Analogues Network, JSPS, Japan
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Johnson JV, Exton DA, Dick JTA, Oakley J, Jompa J, Pincheira-Donoso D. The relative influence of sea surface temperature anomalies on the benthic composition of an Indo-Pacific and Caribbean coral reef over the last decade. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:ECE39263. [PMID: 36091340 PMCID: PMC9448965 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Rising ocean temperatures are the primary driver of coral reef declines throughout the tropics. Such declines include reductions in coral cover that facilitate the monopolization of the benthos by other taxa such as macroalgae, resulting in reduced habitat complexity and biodiversity. Long-term monitoring projects present rare opportunities to assess how sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) influence changes in the benthic composition of coral reefs across distinct locations. Here, using extensively monitored coral reef sites from Honduras (in the Caribbean Sea), and from the Wakatobi National Park located in the center of the coral triangle of Indonesia, we assess the impact of global warming on coral reef benthic compositions over the period 2012-2019. Bayesian generalized linear mixed effect models revealed increases in the sponge, and hard coral coverage through time, while rubble coverage decreased at the Indonesia location. Conversely, the effect of SSTAs did not predict any changes in benthic coverage. At the Honduras location, algae and soft coral coverage increased through time, while hard coral and rock coverage were decreasing. The effects of SSTA at the Honduras location included increased rock coverage, but reduced sponge coverage, indicating disparate responses between both systems under SSTAs. However, redundancy analyses showed intralocation site variability explained the majority of variance in benthic composition over the course of the study period. Our findings show that SSTAs have differentially influenced the benthic composition between the Honduras and the Indonesian coral reefs surveyed in this study. However, the large intralocation variance that explains the benthic composition at both locations indicates that localized processes have a predominant role in explaining benthic composition over the last decade. The sustained monitoring effort is critical for understanding how these reefs will change in their composition as global temperatures continue to rise through the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack V Johnson
- Macrobiodiversity Lab, School of Biological Sciences Queen's University Belfast Belfast UK.,Operation Wallacea Spilsby UK
| | | | - Jaimie T A Dick
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences Queen's University Belfast Belfast UK
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Mueller B, Brocke HJ, Rohwer FL, Dittmar T, Huisman J, Vermeij MJA, de Goeij JM. Nocturnal dissolved organic matter release by turf algae and its role in the microbialization of reefs. Funct Ecol 2022; 36:2104-2118. [PMID: 36247100 PMCID: PMC9543674 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The increased release of dissolved organic matter (DOM) by algae has been associated with the fast but inefficient growth of opportunistic microbial pathogens and the ongoing degradation of coral reefs. Turf algae (consortia of microalgae and macroalgae commonly including cyanobacteria) dominate benthic communities on many reefs worldwide. Opposite to other reef algae that predominantly release DOM during the day, turf algae containing cyanobacteria may additionally release large amounts of DOM at night. However, this night-DOM release and its potential contribution to the microbialization of reefs remains to be investigated.We first tested the occurrence of hypoxic conditions at the turf algae-water interface, as a lack of oxygen will facilitate the production and release of fermentation intermediates as night-time DOM. Second, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release by turf algae was quantified during day time and nighttime, and the quality of day and night exudates as food for bacterioplankton was tested. Finally, DOC release rates of turf algae were combined with estimates of DOC release based on benthic community composition in 1973 and 2013 to explore how changes in benthic community composition affected the contribution of night-DOC to the reef-wide DOC production.A rapid shift from supersaturated to hypoxic conditions at the turf algae-water interface occurred immediately after the onset of darkness, resulting in night-DOC release rates similar to those during daytime. Bioassays revealed major differences in the quality between day and night exudates: Night-DOC was utilized by bacterioplankton two times faster than day-DOC, but yielded a four times lower growth efficiency. Changes in benthic community composition were estimated to have resulted in a doubling of DOC release since 1973, due to an increasing abundance of benthic cyanobacterial mats (BCMs), with night-DOC release by BCMs and turf algae accounting for >50% of the total release over a diurnal cycle.Night-DOC released by BCMs and turf algae is likely an important driver in the microbialization of reefs by stimulating microbial respiration at the expense of energy and nutrient transfer to higher trophic levels via the microbial loop, thereby threatening the productivity and biodiversity of these unique ecosystems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Mueller
- Department for Freshwater and Marine EcologyUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- CARMABI FoundationWillemstadCuraçao
- Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College ProgramCenter for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawai'i at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | - Hannah J. Brocke
- Max‐Plank Institute for Marine Microbiology (MPI Bremen)BremenGermany
| | - Forest L. Rohwer
- Department of BiologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Thorsten Dittmar
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine EnvironmentUniversity of OldenburgOldenburgGermany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB)University of OldenburgOldenburgGermany
| | - Jef Huisman
- Department for Freshwater and Marine EcologyUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Mark J. A. Vermeij
- Department for Freshwater and Marine EcologyUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- CARMABI FoundationWillemstadCuraçao
| | - Jasper M. de Goeij
- Department for Freshwater and Marine EcologyUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- CARMABI FoundationWillemstadCuraçao
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Fox LR, Potts SE. Herbivory mediates direct and indirect interactions in long‐unburned chaparral. ECOL MONOGR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laurel R. Fox
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California, Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Stephen E. Potts
- Department of Biological Sciences Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
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Klinges JG, Patel SH, Duke WC, Muller EM, Vega Thurber RL. OUP accepted manuscript. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6528370. [PMID: 35157069 PMCID: PMC8902694 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrient pollution is linked to coral disease susceptibility and severity, but the mechanism behind this effect remains underexplored. A recently identified bacterial species, ‘Ca. Aquarickettsia rohweri,’ is hypothesized to parasitize the Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, leading to reduced coral growth and increased disease susceptibility. Aquarickettsia rohweri is hypothesized to assimilate host metabolites and ATP and was previously demonstrated to be highly nutrient-responsive. As nutrient enrichment is a pervasive issue in the Caribbean, this study examined the effects of common nutrient pollutants (nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate) on a disease-susceptible genotype of A. cervicornis. Microbial diversity was found to decline over the course of the experiment in phosphate-, nitrate-, and combined-treated samples, and quantitative PCR indicated that Aquarickettsia abundance increased significantly across all treatments. Only treatments amended with phosphate, however, exhibited a significant shift in Aquarickettsia abundance relative to other taxa. Furthermore, corals exposed to phosphate had significantly lower linear extension than untreated or nitrate-treated corals after 3 weeks of nutrient exposure. Together these data suggest that while experimental tank conditions, with an elevated nutrient regime associated with coastal waters, increased total bacterial abundance, only the addition of phosphate significantly altered the ratios of Aquarickettsia compared to other members of the microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Grace Klinges
- Corresponding author: Mote Marine Laboratory International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, 24244 Overseas Hwy, Summerland Key, FL 33042, USA. Tel: +(941) 504-3801; E-mail:
| | - Shalvi H Patel
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 226 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - William C Duke
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 226 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Erinn M Muller
- Mote Marine Laboratory International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, 24244 Overseas Hwy, Summerland Key, FL 33042, USA
- Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
| | - Rebecca L Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 226 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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García-Hernández JE, Tuohy E, Toledo-Rodríguez DA, Sherman C, Schizas NV, Weil E. Detrimental conditions affecting Xestospongia muta across shallow and mesophotic coral reefs off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2021; 147:47-61. [PMID: 34789587 DOI: 10.3354/dao03633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sponges are fundamental components of coral reef communities and, unfortunately, like other major benthic members, they too have been impacted by epizootic and panzootic events. We report on the prevalence of disease-like conditions affecting populations of the giant barrel sponge Xestospongia muta across shallow and mesophotic coral reefs off La Parguera Natural Reserve (LPNR) and Mona Island Marine Reserve (MIMR) in Puerto Rico. Four different conditions affecting X. muta were observed during our surveys, of which 3 have been previously reported: cyclic spotted bleaching (CSB; apparently non-lethal), Xestospongia-tissue wasting disease (X-TWD; apparently lethal), and sponge orange band disease (SOB; sparsely associated with X-TWD infected individuals). Additionally, we describe a fourth condition, Xestospongia-tissue hardening condition (X-THC), a previously unreported disease recently observed along the insular shelf margin off LPNR and MIMR. Within LPNR, a total of 764 specimens of X. muta were inspected and measured. Of these, 590 sponges (72.2%) had CSB, 25 (3.27%) had signs of X-TWD, 7 (0.92%) had SOB, and the remaining 142 (18.6%) were apparently healthy. Three colonies inhabiting upper mesophotic depths on the LPNR insular shelf showed signs of CSB and X-TWD. At MIMR, video-transect surveys revealed a total of 514 colonies, of which 40 (7.78%) had signs of CSB and/or XTWD, 14 (2.72%) were affected by X-THC, while the remaining 460 (89.5%) showed no external signs of disease and appeared healthy. The presence of 4 concomitant disease-like conditions in barrel sponges of Puerto Rico is alarming, and indicative of the deteriorating status of Caribbean coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E García-Hernández
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, PO Box 9000, Mayagüez, PR 00681, USA
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Campana S, Demey C, Busch K, Hentschel U, Muyzer G, de Goeij JM. Marine sponges maintain stable bacterial communities between reef sites with different coral to algae cover ratios. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:fiab115. [PMID: 34351429 PMCID: PMC8378938 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiab115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine sponges play a major ecological role in recycling resources on coral reef ecosystems. The cycling of resources may largely depend on the stability of the host-microbiome interactions and their susceptibility to altered environmental conditions. Given the current coral to algal phase shift on coral reefs, we investigated whether the sponge-associated bacterial communities of four sponge species, with either high or low microbial abundances (HMA and LMA), remain stable at two reefs sites with different coral to algae cover ratios. Additionally, we assessed the bacterial community composition of two of these sponge species before and after a reciprocal transplantation experiment between the sites. An overall stable bacterial community composition was maintained across the two sites in all sponge species, with a high degree of host-specificity. Furthermore, the core bacterial communities of the sponges remained stable also after a 21-day transplantation period, although a minor shift was observed in less abundant taxa (< 1%). Our findings support the conclusion that host identity and HMA-LMA status are stronger traits in shaping bacterial community composition than habitat. Nevertheless, long-term microbial monitoring of sponges along with benthic biomass and water quality assessments are needed for identifying ecosystem tolerance ranges and tipping points in ongoing coral reef phase shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Campana
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Celine Demey
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kathrin Busch
- Department of Marine Ecology, Research Unit Marine Symbioses, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ute Hentschel
- Department of Marine Ecology, Research Unit Marine Symbioses, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Gerard Muyzer
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jasper M de Goeij
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE Amsterdam, Netherlands
- CARMABI Foundation, Piscaderabaai z/n, P.O. Box 2090, Willemstad, Curaçao
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Fallon BR, Freeman CJ. Plastics in Porifera: The occurrence of potential microplastics in marine sponges and seawater from Bocas del Toro, Panamá. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11638. [PMID: 34285830 PMCID: PMC8272925 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microplastics (MP) are now considered ubiquitous across global aquatic environments. The ingestion of MP by fish and other marine vertebrates is well studied, but the ingestion of MP by marine invertebrates is not. Sponges (Phylum Porifera) are particularly understudied when it comes to MP ingestion, even though they are widely distributed across benthic habitats, can process large volumes of seawater, and can retain small particles within their water filtration systems. This study examines the presence of potential MP (PMP) in wild marine sponges and seawater collected in Bocas del Toro, Panamá. Subsurface seawater and tissue from six common Caribbean sponge species was collected in Saigon Bay, a heavily impacted, shallow-water coral reef. Seawater samples were filtered onto glass fiber filters to retain any PMP present and sponge tissue was digested with bleach, heated and filtered. Filters were examined using fluorescence microscopy to quantify PMP. An average of 107 ± 25 PMP L–1 was detected in seawater from Saigon Bay with particles ranging in size between 10 μm and ~3,000 μm. The number of PMP found in sponge tissue ranged between 6 ± 4 and 169 ± 71 PMP g–1 of dry tissue. Most particles found in sponge samples were very small (10–20 μm), but fibers greater than 5,000 μm were detected. Our results indicate that PMP exists within the tissues of the sponges we studied, but future studies should confirm the presence of MP in sponges using chemical analysis. Most importantly, the discrepancy between low levels of PMP in our sponge samples and high levels in the surrounding seawater highlights the potential for sponges to resist and/or egest MP. Finally, we provide a critical evaluation of our methods to improve their use in future MP work with benthic marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey R Fallon
- Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, United States
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13
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Ocean Acidification and Direct Interactions Affect Coral, Macroalga, and Sponge Growth in the Florida Keys. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9070739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Coral reef community composition, function, and resilience have been altered by natural and anthropogenic stressors. Future anthropogenic ocean and coastal acidification (together termed “acidification”) may exacerbate this reef degradation. Accurately predicting reef resilience requires an understanding of not only direct impacts of acidification on marine organisms but also indirect effects on species interactions that influence community composition and reef ecosystem functions. In this 28-day experiment, we assessed the effect of acidification on coral–algal, coral–sponge, and algal–sponge interactions. We quantified growth of corals (Siderastrea radians), fleshy macroalgae (Dictyota spp.), and sponges (Pione lampa) that were exposed to local summer ambient (603 μatm) or elevated (1105 μatm) pCO2 seawater. These species are common to hard-bottom communities, including shallow reefs, in the Florida Keys. Each individual was maintained in isolation or paired with another organism. Coral growth (net calcification) was similar across seawater pCO2 and interaction treatments. Fleshy macroalgae had increased biomass when paired with a sponge but lost biomass when growing in isolation or paired with coral. Sponges grew more volumetrically in the elevated seawater pCO2 treatment (i.e., under acidification conditions). Although these results are limited in temporal and spatial scales due to the experimental design, they do lend support to the hypothesis that acidification may facilitate a shift towards increased sponge and macroalgae abundance by directly benefiting sponge growth which in turn may provide more dissolved inorganic nitrogen to macroalgae in the Florida Keys.
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14
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Cortés-Useche C, Hernández-Delgado EA, Calle-Triviño J, Sellares Blasco R, Galván V, Arias-González JE. Conservation actions and ecological context: optimizing coral reef local management in the Dominican Republic. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10925. [PMID: 33854832 PMCID: PMC7953877 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, coral reef ecosystems have been lost at accelerated rates as a result of global climate change and local stressors. Local management schemes can help improve the condition of coral reefs by enhancing their ecosystem recovery capacity. Caribbean conservation efforts include mitigation of local anthropogenic stressors, and integrating social participation. Here, we analyzed the case of the Bayahibe reefs in the Southeastern (SE) Dominican Republic to identify conservation actions and illustrate a conceptual example of local seascape management. We assessed reef health indicators from 2011 to 2016. Overall, our results show increases in total fish biomass, in both commercial and herbivorous fishes. Mean live coral cover was 31% and fleshy macroalgae was 23% after multiple disturbances such as Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac (2012), Mathew (2016) and heat stress presented in the study area in 2015. We also described actions taken by stakeholders and government institutions, including the implementation of a policy declaring an area of 869,000 ha as a marine protected area (MPA), enhanced water quality treatment, local restrictions to vessel traffic, enforcement of fishing regulations, and the removal of invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.). In addition, a restoration program for the threatened staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) was established in 2011, and currently has eight coral nurseries and six outplanting sites. Considering the biology and ecology of these reefs, we observed good results for these indicators (live coral cover, fish biomass, and water quality) in contrast with severely degraded Caribbean reefs, suggesting that optimizing local management may be a useful example for improving reef condition. Our results provide an overview of trends in reef condition in the SE Dominican Republic and could support current strategies to better protect reefs in the region. Given that Caribbean coral reefs face extreme challenges from global climate change, management measures may improve reef conditions across the region but stronger policy processes and increased scientific knowledge are needed for the successful management of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Cortés-Useche
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N, Mérida, Yucatán, México.,Wave Of Change, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Playa Paraíso, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Edwin A Hernández-Delgado
- Deparment of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Sociedad Ambiente Marino, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Johanna Calle-Triviño
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N, Mérida, Yucatán, México.,Wave Of Change, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Playa Paraíso, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Rita Sellares Blasco
- Fundación Dominicana de Estudios Marinos, Bayahibe, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic
| | - Victor Galván
- Wave Of Change, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Playa Paraíso, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Jesús E Arias-González
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N, Mérida, Yucatán, México
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15
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Effects of Seasonal Anoxia on the Microbial Community Structure in Demosponges in a Marine Lake in Lough Hyne, Ireland. mSphere 2021; 6:6/1/e00991-20. [PMID: 33536324 PMCID: PMC7860989 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00991-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is expanding marine oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), while anthropogenic nutrient input depletes oxygen concentrations locally. The effects of deoxygenation on animals are generally detrimental; however, some sponges (Porifera) exhibit hypoxic and anoxic tolerance through currently unknown mechanisms. Sponges harbor highly specific microbiomes, which can include microbes with anaerobic capabilities. Sponge-microbe symbioses must also have persisted through multiple anoxic/hypoxic periods throughout Earth's history. Since sponges lack key components of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway responsible for hypoxic responses in other animals, it was hypothesized that sponge tolerance to deoxygenation may be facilitated by its microbiome. To test this hypothesis, we determined the microbial composition of sponge species tolerating seasonal anoxia and hypoxia in situ in a semienclosed marine lake, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We discovered a high degree of cryptic diversity among sponge species tolerating seasonal deoxygenation, including at least nine encrusting species of the orders Axinellida and Poecilosclerida. Despite significant changes in microbial community structure in the water, sponge microbiomes were species specific and remarkably stable under varied oxygen conditions, which was further explored for Eurypon spp. 2 and Hymeraphia stellifera However, some symbiont sharing occurred under anoxia. At least three symbiont combinations, all including large populations of Thaumarchaeota, corresponded with deoxygenation tolerance, and some combinations were shared between some distantly related hosts. We propose hypothetical host-symbiont interactions following deoxygenation that could confer deoxygenation tolerance.IMPORTANCE The oceans have an uncertain future due to anthropogenic stressors and an uncertain past that is becoming clearer with advances in biogeochemistry. Both past and future oceans were, or will be, deoxygenated in comparison to present conditions. Studying how sponges and their associated microbes tolerate deoxygenation provides insights into future marine ecosystems. Moreover, sponges form the earliest branch of the animal evolutionary tree, and they likely resemble some of the first animals. We determined the effects of variable environmental oxygen concentrations on the microbial communities of several demosponge species during seasonal anoxia in the field. Our results indicate that anoxic tolerance in some sponges may depend on their symbionts, but anoxic tolerance was not universal in sponges. Therefore, some sponge species could likely outcompete benthic organisms like corals in future, reduced-oxygen ecosystems. Our results support the molecular evidence that sponges and other animals have a Neoproterozoic origin and that animal evolution was not limited by low-oxygen conditions.
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16
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Spadaro AJ, Butler MJ. Herbivorous Crabs Reverse the Seaweed Dilemma on Coral Reefs. Curr Biol 2020; 31:853-859.e3. [PMID: 33306950 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Coral reefs are on a steep trajectory of decline, with natural recovery in many areas unlikely.1-3 Eutrophication, overfishing, climate change, and disease have fueled the supremacy of seaweeds on reefs,4,5 particularly in the Caribbean, where many reefs have undergone an ecological phase shift so that seaweeds now dominate previously coral-rich reefs.6-8 Discovery of the powerful grazing capability of the Caribbean's largest herbivorous crab (Maguimithrax spinosissimus)9 led us to test the effectiveness of their grazing on seaweed removal and coral reef recovery in two experiments conducted sequentially at separate locations 15 km apart in the Florida Keys (USA). In those experiments, we transplanted crabs onto several patch reefs, leaving others as controls (n = 24 reefs total; each 10-20 m2 in area) and then monitored benthic cover, coral recruitment, and fish community structure on each patch reef for a year. We also compared the effectiveness of crab herbivory to scrubbing reefs by hand to remove algae. Crabs reduced the cover of seaweeds by 50%-80%, resulting in a commensurate 3-5-fold increase in coral recruitment and reef fish community abundance and diversity. Although laborious hand scrubbing of reefs also reduced algal cover, that effect was transitory unless maintained by the addition of herbivorous crabs. With the persistence of Caribbean coral reefs in the balance, our findings demonstrate that large-scale restoration that includes enhancement of invertebrate herbivores can reverse the ecological phase shift on coral reefs away from seaweed dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Jason Spadaro
- Division of Marine Science and Technology, The College of the Florida Keys, Key West, FL 33040, USA.
| | - Mark J Butler
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33181, USA.
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17
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Diaz-Pulido G, Barrón C. CO 2 Enrichment Stimulates Dissolved Organic Carbon Release in Coral Reef Macroalgae. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2020; 56:1039-1052. [PMID: 32279320 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) released by macroalgae is important in the context of coral reef degradation as it contributes to coral mortality by promoting bacterial metabolism on the coral surface. Using experimental carbon dioxide (CO2 ) manipulations in outdoor flow-through tanks, we found that seawater CO2 enrichment enhances daily net DOC release in a range of macroalgal species in the Great Barrier Reef (Australia). There was, however, large variability in DOC release among species, light and dark conditions, and CO2 exposure times. Under light conditions, DOC release in the red macroalga Amansia was 15 times higher under high CO2 conditions compared to ambient CO2 , however, CO2 enhancement did not affect DOC production in the other species. Results from the night incubations were more consistent as three of the four species (Amansia, Lobophora, and Sargassum) enhanced DOC release when enriched with CO2 . DOC fluxes shifted from production in the 1-d incubations to consumption in the 19-d experiment under light conditions, suggesting an important role of bacteria in DOC balances. The results suggest that rising CO2 (and ocean acidification) will continue to intensify space competition in favor of the macroalgae, potentially exacerbating reef degradation and ecological phase shifts from coral to macroalgal dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Diaz-Pulido
- School of Environment and Science, and Australian Rivers Institute - Coast & Estuaries, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - Cristina Barrón
- School of Environment and Science, and Australian Rivers Institute - Coast & Estuaries, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
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18
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Freeman CJ, Easson CG, Matterson KO, Thacker RW, Baker DM, Paul VJ. Microbial symbionts and ecological divergence of Caribbean sponges: A new perspective on an ancient association. THE ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:1571-1583. [PMID: 32203120 PMCID: PMC7242429 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0625-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Marine sponges host diverse communities of microbial symbionts that expand the metabolic capabilities of their host, but the abundance and structure of these communities is highly variable across sponge species. Specificity in these interactions may fuel host niche partitioning on crowded coral reefs by allowing individual sponge species to exploit unique sources of carbon and nitrogen, but this hypothesis is yet to be tested. Given the presence of high sponge biomass and the coexistence of diverse sponge species, the Caribbean Sea provides a unique system in which to investigate this hypothesis. To test for ecological divergence among sympatric Caribbean sponges and investigate whether these trends are mediated by microbial symbionts, we measured stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) ratios and characterized the microbial community structure of sponge species at sites within four regions spanning a 1700 km latitudinal gradient. There was a low (median of 8.2 %) overlap in the isotopic niches of sympatric species; in addition, host identity accounted for over 75% of the dissimilarity in both δ13C and δ15N values and microbiome community structure among individual samples within a site. There was also a strong phylogenetic signal in both δ15N values and microbial community diversity across host phylogeny, as well as a correlation between microbial community structure and variation in δ13C and δ15N values across samples. Together, this evidence supports a hypothesis of strong evolutionary selection for ecological divergence across sponge lineages and suggests that this divergence is at least partially mediated by associations with microbial symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Freeman
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.
- Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Cole G Easson
- Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
- Biology Department, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
| | - Kenan O Matterson
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Robert W Thacker
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - David M Baker
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
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19
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Lesser MP, Slattery M. Will coral reef sponges be winners in the Anthropocene? GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:3202-3211. [PMID: 32052520 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent observations have shown that increases in climate change-related coral mortality cause changes in shallow coral reef community structure through phase shifts to alternative taxa. As a result, sponges have emerged as a potential candidate taxon to become a "winner," and therefore a numerically and functionally dominant member of many coral reef communities. But, in order for this to occur, there must be sufficient trophic resources to support larger populations of these active filter-feeding organisms. Globally, climate change is causing an increase in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and a decrease in salinity, which can lead to an intensification in the stratification of shallow nearshore waters (0-200 m), that affects both the mixed layer depth (MLD) and the strength and duration of internal waves. Specifically, climate change-driven increases in SSTs for tropical waters are predicted to cause increased stratification, and more stabilized surface waters. This causes a shallowing of the MLD which prevents nutrients from reaching the euphotic zone, and is predicted to decrease net primary production (NPP) up to 20% by the end of the century. Lower NPP would subsequently affect multiple trophic levels, including shallow benthic filter-feeding communities, as the coupling between water column productivity and the benthos weakens. We argue here that sponge populations may actually be constrained, rather than promoted, by climate change due to decreases in their primary trophic resources, caused by bottom-up forcing, secondary to physical changes in the water column (i.e., stratification and changes in the MLD resulting in lower nutrients and NPP). As a result, we predict sponge-dominated tropical reefs will be rare, or short-lived, if they occur at all into the future in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Marc Slattery
- Department of BioMolecular Science, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
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20
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Helber SB, Steinert G, Wu YC, Rohde S, Hentschel U, Muhando CA, Schupp PJ. Sponges from Zanzibar host diverse prokaryotic communities with potential for natural product synthesis. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 95:5369420. [PMID: 30830220 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sponges are one of the most dominant organisms in marine ecosystems. One reason for their success is their association with microorganisms that are besides the host itself responsible for the chemical defence. Sponge abundances have been increasing on coral reefs in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and are predicted to increase further with rising anthropogenic impacts on coral reefs. However, there is a paucity of information on chemical ecology of sponges from the WIO and their prokaryotic community composition. We used a combination of Illumina sequencing and a predictive metagenomic analysis to (i) assess the prokaryotic community composition of sponges from Zanzibar, (ii) predict the presence of KEGG metabolic pathways responsible for bioactive compound production and (iii) relate their presence to the degree of observed chemical defence in their respective sponge host. We found that sponges from Zanzibar host diverse prokaryotic communities that are host species-specific. Sponge-species and respective specimens that showed strong chemical defences in previous studies were also predicted to be highly enriched in various pathways responsible for secondary metabolite production. Hence, the combined sequencing and predictive metagenomic approach proved to be a useful indicator for the metabolic potential of sponge holobionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B Helber
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstr. 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstr. 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Georg Steinert
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstr. 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Yu-Chen Wu
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Sven Rohde
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstr. 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Ute Hentschel
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Christopher A Muhando
- Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), Mizingani Road, P.O Box 668, Stonetown, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Peter J Schupp
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstr. 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heeerstr. 231, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
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21
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Vanwonterghem I, Webster NS. Coral Reef Microorganisms in a Changing Climate. iScience 2020; 23:100972. [PMID: 32208346 PMCID: PMC7096749 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on the planet, yet they have suffered tremendous losses due to anthropogenic disturbances and are predicted to be one of the most adversely affected habitats under future climate change conditions. Coral reefs can be viewed as microbially driven ecosystems that rely on the efficient capture, retention, and recycling of nutrients in order to thrive in oligotrophic waters. Microorganisms play vital roles in maintaining holobiont health and ecosystem resilience under environmental stress; however, they are also key players in positive feedback loops that intensify coral reef decline, with cascading effects on biogeochemical cycles and marine food webs. There is an urgent need to develop a fundamental understanding of the complex microbial interactions within coral reefs and their role in ecosystem acclimatization, and it is important to include microorganisms in reef conservation in order to secure a future for these unique environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Vanwonterghem
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
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22
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Pawlik JR, McMurray SE. The Emerging Ecological and Biogeochemical Importance of Sponges on Coral Reefs. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2020; 12:315-337. [PMID: 31226028 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-010419-010807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
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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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Pawlik
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology and Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina 28409, USA; ,
| | - Steven E McMurray
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology and Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina 28409, USA; ,
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23
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Morganti TM, Ribes M, Yahel G, Coma R. Size Is the Major Determinant of Pumping Rates in Marine Sponges. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1474. [PMID: 31920688 PMCID: PMC6917621 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sponges play an important ecological function in many benthic habitats. They filter large volumes of water, retain suspended particles with high efficiency, and process dissolved compounds. Nevertheless, the factors that regulate sponge pumping rate and its relation to environmental factors have been rarely studied. We examined, in situ, the variation of pumping rates for five Mediterranean sponge species and its relationship to temperature, particulate food abundance and sponge size over two annual cycles. Surprisingly, temperature and food concentration had only a small effect on pumping rates, and the seasonal variation of pumping rates was small (1.9-2.5 folds). Sponge size was the main determinant of the specific pumping rate (pumping normalized to sponge volume or mass). Within the natural size distribution of each species, the volume-specific pumping rate [PR V , ml min-1 (cm sponge)-3] decreased (up to 33 folds) with the increase in sponge volume (V, cm3), conforming to an allometric power function (PR V = aVb ) with negative exponents. The strong dependence of the size-specific pumping rate on the sponge size suggests that the simplistic use of this value to categorize sponge species and predict their activity may be misleading. For example, for small specimens, size-specific pumping rates of the two low-microbial-abundance (LMA) species (allometric exponent b of -0.2 and -0.3) were similar to those of two of the high-microbial-abundance (HMA) species (b of -0.5 and -0.7). However, for larger specimens, size-specific pumping rates were markedly different. Our results suggest that the pumping rate of the sponges we studied can be approximated using the measured allometric constants alone in conjunction with surveys of sponge abundance and size distribution. This information is essential for the quantification of in situ feeding and respiration rates and for estimates of the magnitude of sponge-mediated energy and nutrient fluxes at the community level. Further work is required to establish if and to what extent the low seasonal effect and the strong size dependency of pumping rate can be generalized to other sponges and habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Maria Morganti
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, HGF MPG Joint Research Group for Deep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Bremen, Germany.,Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Ribes
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gitai Yahel
- The Faculty of Marine Science, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, Israel
| | - Rafel Coma
- Department of Marine Ecology, Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Girona, Spain
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24
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Olinger LK, Scott AR, McMurray SE, Pawlik JR. Growth estimates of Caribbean reef sponges on a shipwreck using 3D photogrammetry. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18398. [PMID: 31804527 PMCID: PMC6895235 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54681-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The growth rates and ages of many benthic marine organisms are poorly understood, complicating our understanding of ecosystem change. This is particularly true for sponges, which are morphologically diverse and lack indicators of annual growth. In this study, we used emerging technologies to measure volume, surface area, and approximate age of 16 sponge species on the Tibbetts shipwreck off Cayman Brac, Caribbean Sea. Photogrammetry was used to determine the volume of individual sponges on the wreck surface, and a time series of YouTube videos was amassed in order to approximate the greatest possible age of the sponges as 8.74 y. Applying the volume measurements to an existing growth equation for the Caribbean sponge Aiolochroia crassa yielded age estimates of 5.2–10.4 y for the largest individuals of the 16 species. Specific growth rates were then calculated for 7 species from the Tibbetts and 8 species from a second shipwreck (Spiegel Grove, Key Largo, FL). Subsequent growth forecasts from these 15 species corroborate a resource trade-off between growth and the production of chemical defenses. Shipwrecks and other anthropogenic structures can be an important source of demographic information for benthic organisms, provided that certain assumptions about their provenance and history can be met.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K Olinger
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA.
| | - Alexander R Scott
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Steven E McMurray
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joseph R Pawlik
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
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25
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Hadjioannou L, Jimenez C, Rottier C, Sfenthourakis S, Ferrier-Pagès C. Response of the temperate scleractinian coral Cladocora caespitosa to high temperature and long-term nutrient enrichment. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14229. [PMID: 31578398 PMCID: PMC6775152 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50716-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment and increased seawater temperatures are responsible for coral reef decline. In particular, they disrupt the relationship between corals and their dinoflagellate symbionts (bleaching). However, some coral species can afford either high temperatures or nutrient enrichment and their study can bring new insights into how corals acclimate or adapt to stressors. Here, we focused on the role of the nutrient history in influencing the response of the Mediterranean scleractinian coral Cladocora caespitosa to thermal stress. Colonies living naturally in nutrient-poor (<0.5 µM nitrogen, <0.2 µM phosphorus, LN) and nutrient-rich (ca. 10–20 µM nitrogen, 0.4 µM phosphorus, HN) locations were sampled, maintained under the right nutrient conditions, and exposed to a temperature increase from 17 °C to 24 °C and 29 °C. While both HN and LN colonies decreased their concentrations of symbionts and/or photosynthetic pigments, HN colonies were able to maintain significant higher rates of net and gross photosynthesis at 24 °C compared to LN colonies. In addition, while there was no change in protein concentration in HN corals during the experiment, proteins continuously decreased in LN corals with increased temperature. These results are important in that they show that nutrient history can influence the response of scleractinian corals to thermal stress. Further investigations of under-studied coral groups are thus required in the future to understand the processes leading to coral resistance to environmental perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Hadjioannou
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus. .,Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre, (ENALIA), Acropoleos 2, Aglantzia 2101, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Carlos Jimenez
- Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre, (ENALIA), Acropoleos 2, Aglantzia 2101, Nicosia, Cyprus.,Energy, Environment and Water Research Centre (EEWRC) of The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Cecile Rottier
- Marine Department, Ecophysiology team, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, 98000, Monaco
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26
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Gantt SE, McMurray SE, Stubler AD, Finelli CM, Pawlik JR, Erwin PM. Testing the relationship between microbiome composition and flux of carbon and nutrients in Caribbean coral reef sponges. MICROBIOME 2019; 7:124. [PMID: 31466521 PMCID: PMC6716902 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0739-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sponges are important suspension-feeding members of reef communities, with the collective capacity to overturn the entire water column on shallow Caribbean reefs every day. The sponge-loop hypothesis suggests that sponges take up dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and, via assimilation and shedding of cells, return carbon to the reef ecosystem as particulate organic carbon (POC). Sponges host complex microbial communities within their tissues that may play a role in carbon and nutrient cycling within the sponge holobiont. To investigate this relationship, we paired microbial community characterization (16S rRNA analysis, Illumina Mi-Seq platform) with carbon (DOC, POC) and nutrient (PO4, NOx, NH4) flux data (specific filtration rate) for 10 common Caribbean sponge species at two distant sites (Florida Keys vs. Belize, ~ 1203 km apart). RESULTS Distance-based linear modeling revealed weak relationships overall between symbiont structure and carbon and nutrient flux, suggesting that the observed differences in POC, DOC, PO4, and NOx flux among sponges are not caused by variations in the composition of symbiont communities. In contrast, significant correlations between symbiont structure and NH4 flux occurred consistently across the dataset. Further, several individual symbiont taxa (OTUs) exhibited relative abundances that correlated with NH4 flux, including one OTU affiliated with the ammonia-oxidizing genus Cenarchaeum. CONCLUSIONS Combined, these results indicate that microbiome structure is uncoupled from sponge carbon cycling and does not explain variation in DOC uptake among Caribbean coral reef sponges. Accordingly, differential DOC assimilation by sponge cells or stable microbiome components may ultimately drive carbon flux in the sponge holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E Gantt
- Center for Marine Science and Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 28409, USA
| | - Steven E McMurray
- Center for Marine Science and Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 28409, USA
| | - Amber D Stubler
- Biology Department, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA, 90041, USA
| | - Christopher M Finelli
- Center for Marine Science and Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 28409, USA
| | - Joseph R Pawlik
- Center for Marine Science and Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 28409, USA
| | - Patrick M Erwin
- Center for Marine Science and Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 28409, USA.
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27
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Adapting to extreme environments: can coral reefs adapt to climate change? Emerg Top Life Sci 2019; 3:183-195. [DOI: 10.1042/etls20180088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Reef-building corals throughout the world have an annual value of tens of billions of dollars, yet they are being degraded at an increasing rate by many anthropogenic and environmental factors. Despite this, some reefs show resilience to such extreme environmental changes. This review shows how techniques in computational modelling, genetics, and transcriptomics are being used to unravel the complexity of coral reef ecosystems, to try and understand if they can adapt to new and extreme environments. Considering the ambitious climate targets of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 2°C, with aspirations of even 1.5°C, questions arise on how to achieve this. Geoengineering may be necessary if other avenues fail, although global governance issues need to play a key role. Development of large and effective coral refugia and marine protected areas is necessary if we are not to lose this vital resource for us all.
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Hyperdiverse Macrofauna Communities Associated with a Common Sponge, Stylissa carteri, Shift across Ecological Gradients in the Central Red Sea. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Sponges act as important microhabitats in the marine environment and promote biodiversity by harboring a wide variety of macrofauna, but little is known about the magnitude and patterns of diversity of sponge-associated communities. This study uses DNA barcoding to examine the macrofaunal communities associated with Stylissa carteri in the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea, an understudied ecosystem with high biodiversity and endemism. In total, 146 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were distinguished from 938 successfully-sequenced macrofauna individuals from 99 sponges. A significant difference was found in the macrofaunal community composition of S. carteri along a cross-shelf gradient using OTU abundance (Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index), with more amphipods associated with offshore sponges and more brittle stars and fishes associated with inshore sponges. The abundance of S. carteri also showed a gradient, increasing with proximity to shore. However, no significant differences in macrofaunal community composition or total macrofauna abundance were observed between exposed and sheltered sides of the reefs and there was no significant change in total macrofauna abundance along the inshore–offshore gradient. As climate change and ocean acidification continue to impact coral reef ecosystems, understanding the ecology of sponges and their role as microhabitats may become more important for understanding their full ramifications for biodiversity.
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29
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Bell JJ, Bennett HM, Rovellini A, Webster NS. Sponges to Be Winners under Near-Future Climate Scenarios. Bioscience 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biy142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James J Bell
- School of Biological Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington, in Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Holly M Bennett
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, in Townsville, Queensland
- Cawthron Institute in Nelson
| | - Alberto Rovellini
- School of Biological Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington, in Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, in Townsville, Queensland
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, at The University of Queensland, in Brisbane
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30
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Van Duyl FC, Mueller B, Meesters EH. Spatio-temporal variation in stable isotope signatures (δ 13C and δ 15N) of sponges on the Saba Bank. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5460. [PMID: 30128208 PMCID: PMC6097495 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sponges are ubiquitous on coral reefs, mostly long lived and therefore adaptive to changing environmental conditions. They feed on organic matter withdrawn from the passing water and they may harbor microorganisms (endosymbionts), which contribute to their nutrition. Their diets and stable isotope (SI) fractionation determine the SI signature of the sponge holobiont. Little is known of spatio–temporal variations in SI signatures of δ13C and δ15N in tropical sponges and whether they reflect variations in the environment. We investigated the SI signatures of seven common sponge species with different functional traits and their potential food sources between 15 and 32 m depth along the S-SE and E-NE side of the Saba Bank, Eastern Caribbean, in October 2011 and October 2013. SI signatures differed significantly between most sponge species, both in mean values and in variation, indicating different food preferences and/or fractionation, inferring sponge species-specific isotopic niche spaces. In 2011, all sponge species at the S-SE side were enriched in d13C compared to the E-NE side. In 2013, SI signatures of sponges did not differ between the two sides and were overall lighter in δ13C and δ15N than in 2011. Observed spatio–temporal changes in SI in sponges could not be attributed to changes in the SI signatures of their potential food sources, which remained stable with different SI signatures of pelagic (particulate organic matter (POM): δ13C −24.9‰, δ15N +4.3‰) and benthic-derived food (macroalgae: δ13C −15.4‰, δ15N +0.8‰). Enriched δ13C signatures in sponges at the S-SE side in 2011 are proposed to be attributed to predominantly feeding on benthic-derived C. This interpretation was supported by significant differences in water mass constituents between sides in October 2011. Elevated NO3 and dissolved organic matter concentrations point toward a stronger reef signal in reef overlying water at the S-SE than N-NE side of the Bank in 2011. The depletions of δ13C and δ15N in sponges in October 2013 compared to October 2011 concurred with significantly elevated POM concentrations. The contemporaneous decrease in δ15N suggests that sponges obtain their N mostly from benthic-derived food with a lower δ15N than pelagic food. Average proportional feeding on available sources varied between sponge species and ranged from 20% to 50% for benthic and 50% to 80% for pelagic-derived food, assuming trophic enrichment factors of 0.5‰ ± sd 0.5 for δ13C and 3‰ ± sd 0.5 for δ15N for sponges. We suggest that observed variation of SI in sponges between sides and years were the result of shifts in the proportion of ingested benthic- and pelagic-derived organic matter driven by environmental changes. We show that sponge SI signatures reflect environmental variability in space and time on the Saba Bank and that SI of sponges irrespective of their species-specific traits move in a similar direction in response to these environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur C Van Duyl
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Mueller
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, Den Burg, The Netherlands.,Department for Freshwater and Marine Ecology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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31
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Bell JJ, Rovellini A, Davy SK, Taylor MW, Fulton EA, Dunn MR, Bennett HM, Kandler NM, Luter HM, Webster NS. Climate change alterations to ecosystem dominance: how might sponge-dominated reefs function? Ecology 2018; 99:1920-1931. [PMID: 29989167 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic stressors are impacting ecological systems across the world. Of particular concern are the recent rapid changes occurring in coral reef systems. With ongoing degradation from both local and global stressors, future reefs are likely to function differently from current coral-dominated ecosystems. Determining key attributes of future reef states is critical to reliably predict outcomes for ecosystem service provision. Here we explore the impacts of changing sponge dominance on coral reefs. Qualitative modelling of reef futures suggests that changing sponge dominance due to increased sponge abundance will have different outcomes for other trophic levels compared with increased sponge dominance as a result of declining coral abundance. By exploring uncertainty in the model outcomes we identify the need to (1) quantify changes in carbon flow through sponges, (2) determine the importance of food limitation for sponges, (3) assess the ubiquity of the recently described "sponge loop," (4) determine the competitive relationships between sponges and other benthic taxa, particularly algae, and (5) understand how changing dominance of other organisms alters trophic pathways and energy flows through ecosystems. Addressing these knowledge gaps will facilitate development of more complex models that assess functional attributes of sponge-dominated reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Alberto Rovellini
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Michael W Taylor
- School of Biological Sciences & Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Private Bag, 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Elizabeth A Fulton
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, G.P.O. Box 1538, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia.,Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Matthew R Dunn
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., 301 Evans Bay Parade, Wellington, 6021, New Zealand
| | - Holly M Bennett
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Nora M Kandler
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Heidi M Luter
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville Mail Centre, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville Mail Centre, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia.,Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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32
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Mumby PJ, Steneck RS. Paradigm Lost: Dynamic Nutrients and Missing Detritus on Coral Reefs. Bioscience 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biy055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab at the School of Biological Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Science at the University of Queensland, in Australia
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33
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Helber SB, Hoeijmakers DJJ, Muhando CA, Rohde S, Schupp PJ. Sponge chemical defenses are a possible mechanism for increasing sponge abundance on reefs in Zanzibar. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197617. [PMID: 29924803 PMCID: PMC6010217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are experiencing increasing anthropogenic impacts that result in substantial declines of reef-building corals and a change of community structure towards other benthic invertebrates or macroalgae. Reefs around Zanzibar are exposed to untreated sewage and runoff from the main city Stonetown. At many of these sites, sponge cover has increased over the last years. Sponges are one of the top spatial competitors on reefs worldwide. Their success is, in part, dependent on their strong chemical defenses against predators, microbial attacks and other sessile benthic competitors. This is the first study that investigates the bioactive properties of sponge species in the Western Indian Ocean region. Crude extracts of the ten most dominant sponge species were assessed for their chemical defenses against 35 bacterial strains (nine known as marine pathogens) using disc diffusion assays and general cytotoxic activities were assessed with brine shrimp lethality assays. The three chemically most active sponge species were additionally tested for their allelopathic properties against the scleractinian coral competitor Porites sp.. The antimicrobial assays revealed that all tested sponge extracts had strong antimicrobial properties and that the majority (80%) of the tested sponges were equally defended against pathogenic and environmental bacterial strains. Additionally, seven out of ten sponge species exhibited cytotoxic activities in the brine shrimp assay. Moreover, we could also show that the three most bioactive sponge species were able to decrease the photosynthetic performance of the coral symbionts and thus were likely to impair the coral physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B. Helber
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | | | - Christopher A. Muhando
- Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), University of Dar es Salaam, Stonetown, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Sven Rohde
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Peter J. Schupp
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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34
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Pawlik JR, Loh TL, McMurray SE. 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 2018; 6:e4343. [PMID: 29404224 PMCID: PMC5797447 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
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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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Pawlik
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology and Center for Marine Science, UNCW, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | | | - Steven E McMurray
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology and Center for Marine Science, UNCW, Wilmington, NC, USA
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35
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McMurray SE, Pawlik JR, Finelli CM. Demography alters carbon flux for a dominant benthic suspension feeder, the giant barrel sponge, on Conch Reef, Florida Keys. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven E. McMurray
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington NC USA
| | - Joseph R. Pawlik
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington NC USA
| | - Christopher M. Finelli
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington NC USA
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36
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Bennett HM, Altenrath C, Woods L, Davy SK, Webster NS, Bell JJ. Interactive effects of temperature and pCO 2 on sponges: from the cradle to the grave. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:2031-2046. [PMID: 27550825 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Revised: 08/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, associated ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) are predicted to cause declines in reef-building corals globally, shifting reefs from coral-dominated systems to those dominated by less sensitive species. Sponges are important structural and functional components of coral reef ecosystems, but despite increasing field-based evidence that sponges may be 'winners' in response to environmental degradation, our understanding of how they respond to the combined effects of OW and OA is limited. To determine the tolerance of adult sponges to climate change, four abundant Great Barrier Reef species were experimentally exposed to OW and OA levels predicted for 2100, under two CO2 Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). The impact of OW and OA on early life-history stages was also assessed for one of these species to provide a more holistic view of species impacts. All species were generally unaffected by conditions predicted under RCP6.0, although environmental conditions projected under RCP8.5 caused significant adverse effects: with elevated temperature decreasing the survival of all species, increasing levels of tissue necrosis and bleaching, elevating respiration rates and decreasing photosynthetic rates. OA alone had little adverse effect, even under RCP8.5 concentrations. Importantly, the interactive effect of OW and OA varied between species with different nutritional modes, with elevated pCO2 exacerbating temperature stress in heterotrophic species but mitigating temperature stress in phototrophic species. This antagonistic interaction was reflected by reduced mortality, necrosis and bleaching of phototrophic species in the highest OW/OA treatment. Survival and settlement success of Carteriospongia foliascens larvae were unaffected by experimental treatments, and juvenile sponges exhibited greater tolerance to OW than their adult counterparts. With elevated pCO2 providing phototrophic species with protection from elevated temperature, across different life stages, climate change may ultimately drive a shift in the composition of sponge assemblages towards a dominance of phototrophic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly M Bennett
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, 4810, Qld, Australia
| | - Christine Altenrath
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, 4810, Qld, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, 4811, Australia
| | - Lisa Woods
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, 4810, Qld, Australia
| | - James J Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
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37
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Application of diet theory reveals context-dependent foraging preferences in an herbivorous coral reef fish. Oecologia 2017; 184:127-137. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3855-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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38
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Strehlow BW, Jorgensen D, Webster NS, Pineda MC, Duckworth A. Using a thermistor flowmeter with attached video camera for monitoring sponge excurrent speed and oscular behaviour. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2761. [PMID: 27994973 PMCID: PMC5157188 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A digital, four-channel thermistor flowmeter integrated with time-lapse cameras was developed as an experimental tool for measuring pumping rates in marine sponges, particularly those with small excurrent openings (oscula). Combining flowmeters with time-lapse imagery yielded valuable insights into the contractile behaviour of oscula in Cliona orientalis. Osculum cross-sectional area (OSA) was positively correlated to measured excurrent speeds (ES), indicating that sponge pumping and osculum contraction are coordinated behaviours. Both OSA and ES were positively correlated to pumping rate (Q). Diel trends in pumping activity and osculum contraction were also observed, with sponges increasing their pumping activity to peak at midday and decreasing pumping and contracting oscula at night. Short-term elevation of the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) within the seawater initially decreased pumping rates by up to 90%, ultimately resulting in closure of the oscula and cessation of pumping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian W Strehlow
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, School of Plant Biology, and Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia; Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Crawley, WA, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Damien Jorgensen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science , Townsville , QLD , Australia
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Crawley, WA, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Mari-Carmen Pineda
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Crawley, WA, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Alan Duckworth
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Crawley, WA, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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Clements KD, German DP, Piché J, Tribollet A, Choat JH. Integrating ecological roles and trophic diversification on coral reefs: multiple lines of evidence identify parrotfishes as microphages. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kendall D. Clements
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Auckland; Private Bag 92019 Auckland New Zealand
| | - Donovan P. German
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Irvine CA 92697 USA
| | - Jacinthe Piché
- Department of Biology; Dalhousie University; Halifax NS B3H 4R2 Canada
| | - Aline Tribollet
- IRD-Sorbonne Universités (Univ. Paris 6) UPMC-CNRS-MNHN; Laboratoire IPSL-LOCEAN; 32 Avenue Henri Varagnat 93143 Bondy France
| | - John Howard Choat
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
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40
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Kahn AS, Leys SP. The role of cell replacement in benthic-pelagic coupling by suspension feeders. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160484. [PMID: 28018632 PMCID: PMC5180130 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Benthic-pelagic coupling through suspension feeders and their detrital pathways is integral to carbon transport in oceans. In food-poor ecosystems however, a novel mechanism of carbon recycling has been proposed that involves direct uptake of dissolved carbon by suspension feeders followed by shedding of cells as particulate carbon. We studied cell replacement rates in a range of cold-water sponge species to determine how universal this mechanism might be. We show that cell replacement rates of feeding epithelia in explants vary from 30 hours up to 7 days, and change during different seasons and life-history stages. We also found that feeding epithelia are not replaced through direct replication but instead arise from a population of stem cells that differentiate and integrate into epithelial tissues. Our results reveal a surprising amount of complexity in the control of cell processes in sponges, with cell turnover depending on environmental conditions and using stem cells as rate-limiting mechanisms. Our results also suggest that for species in cold water with high particulate organic matter, cell turnover is not the mechanism delivering carbon flux to surrounding communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sally P. Leys
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaT6G 2E9
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41
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Kahn AS, Leys SP. The role of cell replacement in benthic-pelagic coupling by suspension feeders. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016. [PMID: 28018632 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.1787f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Benthic-pelagic coupling through suspension feeders and their detrital pathways is integral to carbon transport in oceans. In food-poor ecosystems however, a novel mechanism of carbon recycling has been proposed that involves direct uptake of dissolved carbon by suspension feeders followed by shedding of cells as particulate carbon. We studied cell replacement rates in a range of cold-water sponge species to determine how universal this mechanism might be. We show that cell replacement rates of feeding epithelia in explants vary from 30 hours up to 7 days, and change during different seasons and life-history stages. We also found that feeding epithelia are not replaced through direct replication but instead arise from a population of stem cells that differentiate and integrate into epithelial tissues. Our results reveal a surprising amount of complexity in the control of cell processes in sponges, with cell turnover depending on environmental conditions and using stem cells as rate-limiting mechanisms. Our results also suggest that for species in cold water with high particulate organic matter, cell turnover is not the mechanism delivering carbon flux to surrounding communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda S Kahn
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton, Alberta , Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Sally P Leys
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton, Alberta , Canada T6G 2E9
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42
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Rix L, Goeij JM, Oevelen D, Struck U, Al‐Horani FA, Wild C, Naumann MS. Differential recycling of coral and algal dissolved organic matter via the sponge loop. Funct Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rix
- Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE) Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) Fahrenheitstr. 6 Bremen 28359 Germany
| | - Jasper M. Goeij
- Department of Aquatic Environmental Ecology Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics University of Amsterdam PO Box 94248 Amsterdam 1090 GE The Netherlands
| | - Dick Oevelen
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Utrecht University PO Box 140 Yerseke 4400 AC The Netherlands
| | - Ulrich Struck
- Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Invalidenstr. 43 Berlin 10115 Germany
| | - Fuad A. Al‐Horani
- The University of Jordan – Aqaba and Marine Science Station PO Box 2595 Aqaba 77110 Jordan
| | - Christian Wild
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (FB 2) University of Bremen NW 2/Leobener Str. Bremen 28359 Germany
| | - Malik S. Naumann
- Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE) Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) Fahrenheitstr. 6 Bremen 28359 Germany
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