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Seasonal changes in environmental nutrient availability and biomass composition in a coral reef sponge

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Abstract

Sponges are crucial ecosystem engineers in most marine habitats, playing a critical role in cycling elements between the water column and the sea floor. Despite this, it is unclear how the nutritional status of the seawater surrounding a sponge influences its biochemical composition. Here, we investigate seasonal availability of the major nutrients in the water surrounding Amphimedon queenslandica, a coral reef demosponge inhabiting a low-energy reef flat environment adjacent to Heron Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Specifically, we investigate how nutrient availability might influence the biomass composition of this sponge species by analysing five replicated water and sponge samples collected over 13 months. Eleven environmental parameters had significant differences between at least two seasons. Some of these changes in nutrient availability were consistent with known ecological processes occurring on Heron Island and its surrounding waters. For instance, the availability and sources of carbon and nitrogen changed throughout the year, with both strongly influenced by nutrients emanating from the summer seabird rookery on the island. Several environmental parameters were strongly correlated, such as total and dissolved organic carbon with each other and with nitrate and sulfate, respectively. Amongst biomass components, skeletal content was significantly correlated with temperature, DNA with total organic carbon, and skeleton and lipid biomass with orthophosphate concentration, which was significantly higher in lower water temperatures. Nonetheless, we observed few compelling correlations between biomass composition in A. queenslandica and nutritional status of the surrounding seawater on a seasonal time scale.

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Acknowledgements

We thank staff of the Heron Island research Station for their assistance with field work, and Dr Simon Blomberg for advice on statistical analysis. Two anonymous reviewers provided feedback that significantly improved this article, for which we are grateful. This research has been support by grants from the Australian Research Council to SMD and BMD.

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Author notes

  1. Jens O. Krömer

    Present address: Department of Solar Materials, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Jabin R. Watson, Bernard M. Degnan & Sandie M. Degnan

  2. Centre for Microbial Electrosynthesis, Advanced Water Management Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Jens O. Krömer

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  1. Jabin R. Watson
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Correspondence to Sandie M. Degnan.

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Funding

This study was funded by grants from the Australian Research Council to SM Degnan (Grant Nos. DP110104601 and DP0985995).

Conflict of interest

Jabin Watson declares that he has no conflict of interest. Jens Kroemer declares that he has no conflict of interest. Bernard Degnan declares that he has no conflict of interest. Sandie Degnan declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Sponge specimens were collected in accordance with the guidelines of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority under research collection permit G12/35053.1.

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Watson, J.R., Krömer, J.O., Degnan, B.M. et al. Seasonal changes in environmental nutrient availability and biomass composition in a coral reef sponge. Mar Biol 164, 135 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3167-0

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