Biology Biotech
Sponges play important roles in cold-water ecosystems by filtering water and regenerating nutrients, which enriches marine habitats. However, sponge habitats can be disturbed by human activities. To investigate the sponges’ functions and responses to anthropogenic stressors, researchers are investigating sponge aggregations sited in Norwegian marine ecosystems
Marine sponge ecosystems and their responses to oil drilling discharges
Occupying diverse habitats including iridescent tropical reefs, fresh water and gloomy ocean deeps, sponges are an integral component of aquatic ecosystems. Consisting of some 15,000 varieties, these primitive yet extremely adaptable creatures are typically high volume filter feeders and as such perform functions that can alter the contents of the water
they inhabit. These filtration processes can have beneficial impacts on water quality. For instance, in coral reefs they convert and release nitrogenous nutrients, preventing excess accumulation and maintaining equilibrium.
an In cold-water
environmental habitats,
scientists propose, they may fulfil similarly integral roles.
“Communities of sponges operate as
ecosystems which perform a variety of roles,” suggests Dr Raymond Bannister, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway. “For example, they can provide habitat and refuge for local fish populations, as well as other associated sessile and mobile fauna.
Furthermore, through discrete
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