Development of an Integrated Mariculture for the Collagen-Rich Sponge Chondrosia reniformis

Abstract

In this study, novel methods were tested to culture the collagen-rich sponge Chondrosia reniformis Nardo, 1847 (Demospongiae, Chondrosiida, Chondrosiidae) in the proximity of floating fish cages. In a trial series, survival and growth of cultured explants were monitored near a polluted fish farm and a pristine control site. Attachment methods, plate materials, and plate orientation were compared. In a first trial, chicken wire-covered polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was found to be the most suitable substrate for C. reniformis (100% survival). During a second trial, survival on chicken wire-covered PVC, after six months, was 79% and 63% for polluted and pristine environments, respectively. Net growth was obtained only on culture plates that were oriented away from direct sunlight (39% increase in six months), whereas sponges decreased in size when sun-exposed. Chicken wire caused pressure on explants and it resulted in unwanted epibiont growth and was therefore considered to be unsuitable for long-term culture. In a final trial, sponges were glued to PVC plates and cultured for 13 months oriented away from direct sunlight. Both survival and growth were higher at the polluted site (86% survival and 170% growth) than at the pristine site (39% survival and 79% growth). These results represent a first successful step towards production of sponge collagen in integrated aquacultures.

The Effect of Depth on the Morphology, Bacterial Clearance, and Respiration of the Mediterranean Sponge Chondrosia reniformis (Nardo, 1847)

“…This has implications from the perspective of integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) and bioremediation, as it does not seem to matter at what depth the C. reniformis explants are placed in terms of performance. The growth rates observed in this study (52–83% in two months) are in line with our previous results—70–114% in 6 months [ 31 ]. In spite of the variable growth rates and peculiarities (growing protrusions, dripping through meshes, etc.)…”

“…When this succeeded, attachment was successful and the explants remained in place. The survival rate we achieved (95% after 8 weeks of culture) is considerably higher than the survival in our previous study, 39–86% after 56 weeks [ 31 ], or 55% in a study by [ 59 ]. In the study reported by [ 30 ], the protective stainless-steel cage around explants of C. reniformis resulted in comparable survival rates for explants cultured under pristine conditions.…”

“…Sponges have a high efficiency and capacity for particle retention [ 3 , 4 , 14 ], preferably small particles (<10 µm) such as bacteria [ 4 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ], phytoplankton [ 3 , 19 ], viruses [ 20 ], and dissolved organic matter [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. This efficient and versatile filtration makes sponges key drivers of the uptake, retention, and transfer of energy and nutrients within benthic ecosystems [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] and makes them interesting candidate species for the bioremediation of organic pollution, such as waste streams from aquaculture [ 29 , 30 , 31 ].…”

“…However, the excess amount of bacteria in/around such an organically loaded culture system generates a potential food source for sponges [ 29 ]. In our recent study, we discovered that Chondrosia reniformis (Nardo, 1847) benefited from mariculture-sourced organic pollution and showed better a growth performance in polluted waters compared to a pristine environment (170% versus 79% in 13 months [ 31 ]). C. reniformis has been reported as a rich source of biomedically interesting types of collagen [ 36 , 37 , 38 ], which could be used in 3D printing inks for medical applications (i.e., scaffolds for bone and cartilage tissue regeneration [ 39 , 40 ]).…”

An Innovative IMTA System: Polychaetes, Sponges and Macroalgae Co-Cultured in a Southern Italian In-Shore Mariculture Plant (Ionian Sea)

“…As concerns sponges, findings obtained from about 20 years of field and laboratory research on more than 30 sponge species by Italian and international researcher teams suggest that in situ sponge-culture may be suitable for the eco-sustainable supply chain of sponge biomass for some target species [44,[53][54][55][56][57]. The sponge biomass obtained in polyculture systems has considerable potential from a commercial point of view, having good appeal for cosmetic or hobbyist production of natural biocides, or for the pharmaceutical industry thanks to their bioactive compounds.…”