Sponge-derived matter is assimilated by coral holobionts.

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 mo

SUBMITTER: Reigel AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10837432 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature