Sponges as sentinels: Patterns of spatial and intra-individual variation in trace metal concentration

Mestre, C De; Maher, William A.; Roberts, Daniel; Broad, Allison; Krikowa, Frank; Davis, Andrew R.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.10.020

Cited by 54 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…diversicolor and Mycale spp. (De Mestre et al, 2012). Zinc and cadmium concentrations in bivalves in this study corresponded to those typically classified as high in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis (Luoma and Rainbow, 2008).…”

Section: Metal Contamination Gradient and Metal Accumulationsupporting

confidence: 68%

Response of the hairy mussel Trichomya hirsuta to sediment-metal contamination in the presence of a bioturbator

López

Couture

Maher

et al. 2014

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Metal Contamination Gradient and Metal Accumulationsupporting

confidence: 68%

Response of the hairy mussel Trichomya hirsuta to sediment-metal contamination in the presence of a bioturbator

López

Couture

Maher

et al. 2014

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Certified reference material (National Research Council Canada [NRCC] DORM‐2—Dogfish muscle) and blanks were routinely run with samples throughout the digestion and analysis procedure. Recovery of metals from certified reference materials was within confidence intervals for certified values (see de Mestre et al ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Suberites was a reliable biomonitor of metal bioavailability, as it accumulated lead, cadmium, and zinc in amounts consistent with its surrounding environment. Our data add to a growing body of evidence on the utility of using sponges as biomonitors . We successfully translocated Suberites across a metal contamination gradient to provide data on the bioavailability of metals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Sponges as sentinels: Metal accumulation using transplanted sponges across a metal gradient

Davis

Mestre

Maher

et al. 2014

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To be effective sentinels, organisms must be able to be readily translocated to contamination hotspots. The authors sought to assess metal accumulation in genetically identical explants of a relatively common estuarine sponge, Suberites cf. diversicolor. Explants were transplanted to 7 locations across a metal contamination gradient in a large coastal estuary in southeastern Australia to establish, first, that explants of this species could be successfully translocated; second, that explants accumulated metals (cadmium, copper, lead, selenium, and zinc) sufficiently rapidly to be effective sentinels; third, that rates of metal accumulation in explants were in agreement with metal concentrations within sediments (<63-µm fraction) at each of the transplant locations; and finally, that changes in explant biomass correlated with overall metal load. Suberites were readily transplanted, with no mortality observed for the 2 mo of transplantation. Metal accumulation for lead, cadmium, and zinc was in close agreement with sediment metal concentrations, and explants showed dramatic increases in these metals in the heavily contaminated northern sections of the estuarine lake. No striking patterns were apparent for copper and selenium. Finally, growth was negatively correlated with total metal load and standardized total metal load in our explants. Taken together, these outcomes confirm that explants of this sponge are amenable to translocation and show considerable promise as biomonitors.

show abstract

“…; De Mestre et al . ). Despite their importance, our knowledge on the population dynamics of estuarine sponges has been limited to a few species in comparison with other marine ecosystems such as coral reefs or sublittoral rocky shores.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Temporal and small‐scale spatial variations in abundance and biomass of seagrass‐dwelling sponges in a tropical estuarine system

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although marine sponges are one of the most ecologically important benthic groups in marine ecosystems, their ecological role in seagrass beds from estuarine environments is little known. In this study we investigated the temporal and small‐scale spatial variability in the abundance and biomass of the three common seagrass‐dwelling sponges Halichondria melanadocia, Haliclona implexiformis and Chondrilla caribensis in a tropical estuary of the Southern Gulf of Mexico. The influence of biotic (physical characteristics of the seagrass) and abiotic (temperature, salinity, water movement, sediment particle size and sedimentation rate) variables on the spatio‐temporal variability of these population descriptors was evaluated. In addition, a complete identification of the sponge species through morphology and COI mtDNA sequences (integrative taxonomy) was performed. Chondrilla caribensis and H. melanadocia had the highest overall average abundance and biomass, respectively. There was no significant correlation with temperature and salinity. In H. melanadocia, temporal variations in its average biomass were positively related to changes in the average size of individuals, whereas in H. implexiformis and C. caribensis these intra‐annual variations in biomass were positively related to changes in their average abundance. Important declines in the average biomass and size of H. melanadocia and in the average abundance of H. implexiformis occurred during the transition period from the dry to the rainy season, which was attributed to fragmentation and shrinkage processes. Moreover, the abundance and biomass of the three sponge species showed high small‐scale spatial variations within the seagrass meadow, but without a clear pattern of variation related with the distance from the shore. In H. implexiformis a significant negative relationship was found between its average biomass and the seagrass biomass. In H. melanadocia and H. implexiformis as well, their abundance was positively related with the proportion of coarse particles of the sediment (mollusk shell debris). Multivariate analyses confirmed that the proportion of coarse particles in the sediment, either acting alone or in conjunction with other variables such as seagrass shoot density and sedimentation/resuspension rate, was the variable that best explained the distribution of sponges within the seagrass meadow. This is one of the few studies on the population dynamics of sponges in seagrass meadows from estuarine environments.

show abstract

Sponges as sentinels: Patterns of spatial and intra-individual variation in trace metal concentration

Cited by 54 publications

References 31 publications

Response of the hairy mussel Trichomya hirsuta to sediment-metal contamination in the presence of a bioturbator

Response of the hairy mussel Trichomya hirsuta to sediment-metal contamination in the presence of a bioturbator

Sponges as sentinels: Metal accumulation using transplanted sponges across a metal gradient

Temporal and small‐scale spatial variations in abundance and biomass of seagrass‐dwelling sponges in a tropical estuarine system

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About