Spatial variability in community structure of Dictyoceratida sponges across Torres Strait, Australia

Duckworth, Alan; Wolff, Carsten; Evans-Illidge, Elizabeth; Whalan, Steve W; Lui, Siosinamele

doi:10.1016/j.csr.2008.03.024

Cited by 20 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The fact that the spatial variability of sponge communities is influenced by a combination of environmental, biological and stochastic processes, resulting in strong differences in abundance and diversity, is already known (Pansini & Pronzato ; Pansini & Musso ; Duckworth et al . ; Berman & Bell ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability of the sponge assemblage ofMediterranean coralligenous concretions along a millennial time span

et al. 2013

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The Mediterranean coralligenous substratum is a hard bottom of biogenic origin, mainly composed of calcareous algae, growing in dim light conditions. Sponges are among of the most representative taxa of the coralligenous assemblages, with more than 300 recorded species of different habits: massive, erect, boring and insinuating. When sponges die, their siliceous spicules remain trapped in the biogenic concretion, offering the opportunity to describe the coralligenous spongofauna over a very long span of time, virtually dating back to a large part of the Holocene period. The data reported here were obtained from core samples collected from four coralligenous concretions. Each block was collected in a different locality of the Ligurian Sea: Santo Stefano Shoals, Bogliasco, Punta del Faro (Portofino Promontory) and Punta Manara. Radiocarbon age determinations indicate for these conglomerates a maximal age between 1600 and 3100 years. The spicules trapped in the cores show deep dissolution marks in the form of circular holes on their surface or present an enlargement of the axial canal. However, their original shape, generally intact, suggests the absence of mechanical injuries and allows a tentative identification at the species level. The analysis of these old spicules reveals an ancient sponge assemblage composed of 30 recognisable species. This indicates that almost one half of the sponge community today settled on coralligenous substrata has been present in the conglomerates for their entire existence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability of the sponge assemblage ofMediterranean coralligenous concretions along a millennial time span

et al. 2013

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“…Luffariella variabilis , Carteriospongia foliascens and Ircinia sp. are brooding dictyoceratid sponges that are locally abundant within the Great Barrier Reef [ 49 , 50 ]. These three species dribble spawn parenchymella larvae daily for several weeks during the Austral summer and are competent to settle within three days of release [ 17 , 51 , 52 ] (Whalan unpublished data).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Larval Settlement: The Role of Surface Topography for Sessile Coral Reef Invertebrates

et al. 2015

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For sessile marine invertebrates with complex life cycles, habitat choice is directed by the larval phase. Defining which habitat-linked cues are implicated in sessile invertebrate larval settlement has largely concentrated on chemical cues which are thought to signal optimal habitat. There has been less effort establishing physical settlement cues, including the role of surface microtopography. This laboratory based study tested whether surface microtopography alone (without chemical cues) plays an important contributing role in the settlement of larvae of coral reef sessile invertebrates. We measured settlement to tiles, engineered with surface microtopography (holes) that closely matched the sizes (width) of larvae of a range of corals and sponges, in addition to surfaces with holes that were markedly larger than larvae. Larvae from two species of scleractinian corals (Acropora millepora and Ctenactis crassa) and three species of coral reef sponges (Luffariella variabilis, Carteriospongia foliascens and Ircinia sp.,) were used in experiments. L. variabilis, A. millepora and C. crassa showed markedly higher settlement to surface microtopography that closely matched their larval width. C. foliascens and Ircinia sp., showed no specificity to surface microtopography, settling just as often to microtopography as to flat surfaces. The findings of this study question the sole reliance on chemical based larval settlement cues, previously established for some coral and sponge species, and demonstrate that specific physical cues (surface complexity) can also play an important role in larval settlement of coral reef sessile invertebrates.

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“…While this spatial variation cannot be completely explained by environmental variability, general influences include substrate type (e.g. Duckworth et al 2008), reproductive methods and dispersal capabilities (e.g. Uriz et al 1998), depth and distance from shore, where factors such as light intensity, turbidity, nutrient and sediment content are influential (e.g.…”

Section: Tylotes Acanthostyles Styles Chelae Toxas Microrhabdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The most common sponges on the Great Barrier Reef seabed, Australia, include species new to science (Phylum Porifera)

Sutcliffe

Hooper

Pitcher

2010

Zootaxa

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We describe two new species amongst the most common sponges living on the seabed (inter-reef) of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) collected during a multi-agency survey (GBR Seabed Biodiversity Project 2003–2006) of the shelf benthic biota using a trawl and dredge at 1254 sites. More than 1,200 sponge morphospecies (operational taxonomic units or OTUs) were recognised, many of which are potentially new species. This paper describes five of the most common sponges, two of which are new to science, Dercitus xanthus sp. nov. and Paracornulum fistulosum sp. nov. Taxonomic revisions of the three other most common species (Coscinoderma nardorus (Lendenfeld, 1886), Spheciospongia vagabunda (Ridley, 1884) and Xenospongia patelliformis Gray, 1858), reveal new characters not previously recorded. Extensive distribution maps are provided for these species within the GBR Marine Park. Analysis of the physical data associated with the biota revealed these species had strong preference for sand and carbonate sediments. As colonisers of the soft seabed these most prevalent species provide important habitat stabilisation, enabling succession communities to more readily establish on the seabed. This wide-scale study along the length and breadth of the GBR provides a concise and encompassing view of the distribution and diversity of the seabed benthos, and has significant implications for the conservation and management of the GBR World Heritage Area.

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Spatial variability in community structure of Dictyoceratida sponges across Torres Strait, Australia

Cited by 20 publications

References 20 publications

Stability of the sponge assemblage ofMediterranean coralligenous concretions along a millennial time span

Stability of the sponge assemblage ofMediterranean coralligenous concretions along a millennial time span

Larval Settlement: The Role of Surface Topography for Sessile Coral Reef Invertebrates

The most common sponges on the Great Barrier Reef seabed, Australia, include species new to science (Phylum Porifera)

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