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Laget M, Drago L, Panaïotis T, Kiko R, Stemmann L, Rogge A, Llopis-Monferrer N, Leynaert A, Irisson JO, Biard T. Global census of the significance of giant mesopelagic protists to the marine carbon and silicon cycles. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3341. [PMID: 38684684 PMCID: PMC11058905 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47651-4] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Thriving in both epipelagic and mesopelagic layers, Rhizaria are biomineralizing protists, mixotrophs or flux-feeders, often reaching gigantic sizes. In situ imaging showed their contribution to oceanic carbon stock, but left their contribution to element cycling unquantified. Here, we compile a global dataset of 167,551 Underwater Vision Profiler 5 Rhizaria images, and apply machine learning models to predict their organic carbon and biogenic silica biomasses in the uppermost 1000 m. We estimate that Rhizaria represent up to 1.7% of mesozooplankton carbon biomass in the top 500 m. Rhizaria biomass, dominated by Phaeodaria, is more than twice as high in the mesopelagic than in the epipelagic layer. Globally, the carbon demand of mesopelagic, flux-feeding Phaeodaria reaches 0.46 Pg C y-1, representing 3.8 to 9.2% of gravitational carbon export. Furthermore, we show that Rhizaria are a unique source of biogenic silica production in the mesopelagic layer, where no other silicifiers are present. Our global census further highlights the importance of Rhizaria for ocean biogeochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Laget
- LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, Univ. Lille, CNRS, IRD, UMR 8187, Wimereux, France.
| | - Laetitia Drago
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Thelma Panaïotis
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Rainer Kiko
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lars Stemmann
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Andreas Rogge
- Section Benthic Ecology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Natalia Llopis-Monferrer
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, UMR7144 Adaptation and Diversity in Marine Environment (AD2M) Laboratory, Ecology of Marine Plankton team, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Aude Leynaert
- Université de Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, Plouzané, France
| | - Jean-Olivier Irisson
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV), Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Tristan Biard
- LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, Univ. Lille, CNRS, IRD, UMR 8187, Wimereux, France
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Meyneng M, Lemonnier H, Le Gendre R, Plougoulen G, Antypas F, Ansquer D, Serghine J, Schmitt S, Siano R. Subtropical coastal microbiome variations due to massive river runoff after a cyclonic event. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:10. [PMID: 38291506 PMCID: PMC10829310 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00554-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coastal ecosystem variability at tropical latitudes is dependent on climatic conditions. During the wet, rainy season, extreme climatic events such as cyclones, precipitation, and winds can be intense over a short period and may have a significant impact on the entire land‒sea continuum. This study focused on the effect of river runoff across the southwest coral lagoon ecosystem of Grand Terre Island of New Caledonia (South Pacific) after a cyclonic event, which is considered a pulse disturbance at our study site. The variability of coastal microbiomes, studied by the metabarcoding of V4 18S (protists) and V4-V5 16S (bacteria) rDNA genes, after the cyclone passage was associated with key environmental parameters describing the runoff impact (salinity, organic matter proxies, terrestrial rock origin metals) and compared to community structures observed during the dry season. RESULTS Microbiome biodiversity patterns of the dry season were destructured because of the runoff impact, and land-origin taxa were observed in the coastal areas. After the rainy event, different daily community dynamics were observed locally, with specific microbial taxa explaining these variabilities. Plume dispersal modeling revealed the extent of low salinity areas up to the coral reef area (16 km offshore), but a rapid (< 6 days) recovery to typical steady conditions of the lagoon's hydrology was observed. Conversely, during the same time, some biological components (microbial communities, Chl a) and biogeochemical components (particulate nickel, terrigenous organic matter) of the ecosystem did not recover to values observed during the dry season conditions. CONCLUSION The ecosystem resilience of subtropical ecosystems must be evaluated from a multidisciplinary, holistic perspective and over the long term. This allows evaluating the risk associated with a potential continued and long-term disequilibrium of the ecosystem, triggered by the change in the frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events in the era of planetary climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Meyneng
- IFREMER, DYNECO, BP70, Plouzané, France
| | - H Lemonnier
- French Institute for Research in the Science of the Sea (IFREMER), Research Institute for Development (IRD), University of New Caledonia, University of Reunion, CNRS, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - R Le Gendre
- French Institute for Research in the Science of the Sea (IFREMER), Research Institute for Development (IRD), University of New Caledonia, University of Reunion, CNRS, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - G Plougoulen
- French Institute for Research in the Science of the Sea (IFREMER), Research Institute for Development (IRD), University of New Caledonia, University of Reunion, CNRS, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - F Antypas
- French Institute for Research in the Science of the Sea (IFREMER), Research Institute for Development (IRD), University of New Caledonia, University of Reunion, CNRS, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - D Ansquer
- French Institute for Research in the Science of the Sea (IFREMER), Research Institute for Development (IRD), University of New Caledonia, University of Reunion, CNRS, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | | | - S Schmitt
- IFREMER, DYNECO, BP70, Plouzané, France
| | - R Siano
- IFREMER, DYNECO, BP70, Plouzané, France.
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Anderson SR, Blanco-Bercial L, Carlson CA, Harvey EL. Role of Syndiniales parasites in depth-specific networks and carbon flux in the oligotrophic ocean. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae014. [PMID: 38419659 PMCID: PMC10900894 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Microbial associations that result in phytoplankton mortality are important for carbon transport in the ocean. This includes parasitism, which in microbial food webs is dominated by the marine alveolate group, Syndiniales. Parasites are expected to contribute to carbon recycling via host lysis; however, knowledge on host dynamics and correlation to carbon export remain unclear and limit the inclusion of parasitism in biogeochemical models. We analyzed a 4-year 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding dataset (2016-19), performing network analysis for 12 discrete depths (1-1000 m) to determine Syndiniales-host associations in the seasonally oligotrophic Sargasso Sea. Analogous water column and sediment trap data were included to define environmental drivers of Syndiniales and their correlation with particulate carbon flux (150 m). Syndiniales accounted for 48-74% of network edges, most often associated with Dinophyceae and Arthropoda (mainly copepods) at the surface and Rhizaria (Polycystinea, Acantharea, and RAD-B) in the aphotic zone. Syndiniales were the only eukaryote group to be significantly (and negatively) correlated with particulate carbon flux, indicating their contribution to flux attenuation via remineralization. Examination of Syndiniales amplicons revealed a range of depth patterns, including specific ecological niches and vertical connection among a subset (19%) of the community, the latter implying sinking of parasites (infected hosts or spores) on particles. Our findings elevate the critical role of Syndiniales in marine microbial systems and reveal their potential use as biomarkers for carbon export.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean R Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
- Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA 02543, United States
| | | | - Craig A Carlson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology and the Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, United States
| | - Elizabeth L Harvey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
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Hu SK, Smith AR, Anderson RE, Sylva SP, Setzer M, Steadmon M, Frank KL, Chan EW, Lim DSS, German CR, Breier JA, Lang SQ, Butterfield DA, Fortunato CS, Seewald JS, Huber JA. Globally-distributed microbial eukaryotes exhibit endemism at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6580-6598. [PMID: 36302092 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Single-celled microbial eukaryotes inhabit deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments and play critical ecological roles in the vent-associated microbial food web. 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing of diffuse venting fluids from four geographically- and geochemically-distinct hydrothermal vent fields was applied to investigate community diversity patterns among protistan assemblages. The four vent fields include Axial Seamount at the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Sea Cliff and Apollo at the Gorda Ridge, all in the NE Pacific Ocean, and Piccard and Von Damm at the Mid-Cayman Rise in the Caribbean Sea. We describe species diversity patterns with respect to hydrothermal vent field and sample type, identify putative vent endemic microbial eukaryotes, and test how vent fluid geochemistry may influence microbial community diversity. At a semi-global scale, microbial eukaryotic communities at deep-sea vents were composed of similar proportions of dinoflagellates, ciliates, Rhizaria, and stramenopiles. Individual vent fields supported distinct and highly diverse assemblages of protists that included potentially endemic or novel vent-associated strains. These findings represent a census of deep-sea hydrothermal vent protistan communities. Protistan diversity, which is shaped by the hydrothermal vent environment at a local scale, ultimately influences the vent-associated microbial food web and the broader deep-sea carbon cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Hu
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amy R Smith
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
- Bard College at Simon's Rock, Great Barrington, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rika E Anderson
- Biology Department, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sean P Sylva
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michaela Setzer
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Maria Steadmon
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Kiana L Frank
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Eric W Chan
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA
| | | | - Christopher R German
- Department of Geology & Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John A Breier
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA
| | - Susan Q Lang
- Department of Geology & Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
- School of the Earth, Ocean, and Environment, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - David A Butterfield
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington and NOAA/PMEL, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey S Seewald
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Julie A Huber
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
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Rappaport HB, Oliverio AM. Extreme environments offer an unprecedented opportunity to understand microbial eukaryotic ecology, evolution, and genome biology. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4959. [PMID: 37587119 PMCID: PMC10432404 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40657-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Research in extreme environments has substantially expanded our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life on Earth, but a major group of organisms has been largely overlooked: microbial eukaryotes (i.e., protists). In this Perspective, we summarize data from over 80 studies of protists in extreme environments and identify focal lineages that are of significant interest for further study, including clades within Echinamoebida, Heterolobosea, Radiolaria, Haptophyta, Oomycota, and Cryptophyta. We argue that extreme environments are prime sampling targets to fill gaps in the eukaryotic tree of life and to increase our understanding of the ecology, metabolism, genome architecture, and evolution of eukaryotic life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angela M Oliverio
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
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Dünn M, Arndt H. Distribution Patterns of Benthic Protist Communities Depending on Depth Revealed by Environmental Sequencing-From the Sublittoral to the Deep Sea. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1664. [PMID: 37512837 PMCID: PMC10385078 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071664] [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: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Protists are key components of the microbial food web in marine pelagic systems because they link algal and bacterial production to higher trophic levels. However, their functioning and bathymetric distribution in benthic deep-sea ecosystems are still only poorly understood. However, biogeographical patterns of communities can be coupled to the functioning of ecosystems and are therefore important to understand ecological and evolutionary processes. In this study, we investigated the diversity and distribution of benthic protist communities from the sublittoral down to the deep seafloor (50-2000 m) around three islands of the Azores in the North Atlantic Ocean. Using amplicon sequencing of the V9 region (18S rDNA) of 21 samples, we found that protist community compositions from different depths were significantly different. Three assemblages were separated along the following depths: 50 m, 150-500 m and 1000-2000 m, which indicate that deep-sea areas surrounding islands might act as isolating barriers for benthic protist species. A limited gene flow between the communities could favor speciation processes, leading to the unique protist communities found at the different investigated islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Dünn
- Institute of Zoology, Biocenter Cologne, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Hartmut Arndt
- Institute of Zoology, Biocenter Cologne, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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7
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Trubovitz S, Renaudie J, Lazarus D, Noble PJ. Abundance does not predict extinction risk in the fossil record of marine plankton. Commun Biol 2023; 6:554. [PMID: 37217772 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04871-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A major premise of ecological neutral theory is that population size is inversely related to extinction risk. This idea is central to modern biodiversity conservation efforts, which often rely on abundance metrics to partially determine species extinction risk. However, limited empirical studies have tested whether extinction is indeed more probable for species with low abundances. Here we use the fossil record of Neogene radiolaria to test the relationship between relative abundance and longevity (time from first to last occurrence). Our dataset includes abundance histories for 189 polycystine radiolarian species from the Southern Ocean, and 101 species from the tropical Pacific. Using linear regression analyses, we show that neither maximum nor average relative abundance are significant predictors of longevity in either oceanographic region. This suggests that neutral theory fails to explain the plankton ecological-evolutionary dynamics we observe. Extrinsic factors are likely more important than neutral dynamics in controlling radiolarian extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Trubovitz
- Department of Geological Sciences & Engineering, University of Nevada - Reno, Reno, NV, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Johan Renaudie
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions-und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany.
| | - David Lazarus
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions-und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paula J Noble
- Department of Geological Sciences & Engineering, University of Nevada - Reno, Reno, NV, USA
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Raja Somu D, Cracchiolo T, Longo E, Greving I, Merk V. On stars and spikes: Resolving the skeletal morphology of planktonic Acantharia using synchrotron X-ray nanotomography and deep learning image segmentation. Acta Biomater 2023; 159:74-82. [PMID: 36706850 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Acantharia (Acantharea) are wide-spread marine protozoa, presenting one of the rare examples of strontium sulfate mineralization in the biosphere. Their endoskeletons consist of 20 spicules arranged according to a unique geometric pattern named Müller's principle. Given the diverse mineral architecture of the Acantharia class, we set out to examine the complex three-dimensional skeletal morphology at the nanometer scale using synchrotron X-ray nanotomography, followed by image segmentation based on deep learning methods. The present study focuses on how the spicules emanate from the robust central junction in the orders Symphyacanthida and Arthracanthida, the geometry of lateral spicule wings as well as pockets of interspicular space, which may be involved in cell compartmentalization. Through these morphometric studies, we observed subtle deviations from the previously described spatial arrangement of the spicules. According to our data, spicule shapes are adjusted in opposite spicules as to accommodate the overall spicule arrangement. In all types examined, previously unknown interspicular interstices were found in areas where radial spicules meet, which could have implications for the crystal growth mechanism and overall endoskeletal integrity. A deeper understanding of the spiculogenesis in Acantharia can provide biomimetic routes towards complex inorganic shapes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Morphogenesis, the origin and control of shape, provides an avenue towards tailored inorganic materials. In this work, we explored the intricate skeletal organization of planktonic Acantharia, which are amongst the few strontium sulfate biomineralizing organisms in nature. By using nanoscale X-ray imaging and deep learning image segmentation, we found deviations from previously described geometric patterns and undiscovered skeletal features. The bio-inspired synthesis of inorganic materials with complex shape has important ramifications for solid-state chemistry and nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn Raja Somu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Timothy Cracchiolo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Elena Longo
- Institute of Materials Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany; Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Imke Greving
- Institute of Materials Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Vivian Merk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States.
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Abstract
Living systems are built from a small subset of the atomic elements, including the bulk macronutrients (C,H,N,O,P,S) and ions (Mg,K,Na,Ca) together with a small but variable set of trace elements (micronutrients). Here, we provide a global survey of how chemical elements contribute to life. We define five classes of elements: those that are (i) essential for all life, (ii) essential for many organisms in all three domains of life, (iii) essential or beneficial for many organisms in at least one domain, (iv) beneficial to at least some species, and (v) of no known beneficial use. The ability of cells to sustain life when individual elements are absent or limiting relies on complex physiological and evolutionary mechanisms (elemental economy). This survey of elemental use across the tree of life is encapsulated in a web-based, interactive periodic table that summarizes the roles chemical elements in biology and highlights corresponding mechanisms of elemental economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaleigh A Remick
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | - John D Helmann
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States.
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Chen H, Jia Z, Li L. Lightweight lattice-based skeleton of the sponge Euplectella aspergillum: On the multifunctional design. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2022; 135:105448. [PMID: 36166939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The glass sponge, Euplectella aspergillum, possesses a lightweight, silica spicule-based, cylindrical lattice-like skeleton, representing an excellent model system for bioinspired lattices. Previous analysis suggested that the E. aspergillum's skeletal lattice exhibits improved buckling resistance and suppressed vortex shedding. How the sponge's skeletal lattice with diagonally-oriented reinforcing bundle of fused spicules and the ridge system behaves under different loading conditions and achieves dual mechanical and fluidic transport performance requires further investigation. Here, we first quantified the structural descriptors such as length and thickness of the bundles of fused spicules and hole opening diameter of the sponge skeletons with and without the soft tissue covered. Secondly, parametric modeling and simulations of the sponge lattice in comparison with other bioinspired designs under different loading conditions were implemented to obtain the structure-mechanical property relationship. Our results reveal that the double-diagonal reinforcements of the E. aspergillum's lattices show i) tendency to maximize the torsional rigidity in comparison to longitudinal and radial modulus and flexural rigidity, and ii) independency of mechanical properties on the diagonal spacing, leaving freedom to control the hole-opening position for the sponge's fluid transport. Furthermore, our coupled fluid-mechanical simulations suggest that the ridge system spiraling the cylindrical lattice simultaneously improves the radial stiffness and fluid permeability. Finally, we discuss the general mechanical strategies and design flexibility in the sponge's skeletal lattice. Our work provides understanding of the mechanical and functional trade-offs in E. aspergillum's skeletal lattice which may shed light on the design of lightweight tubular lattices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongshun Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Zian Jia
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA.
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