Surviving in a Marine Desert: The Sponge Loop Retains Resources Within Coral Reefs

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1241981
• Publication Date: 2013-10-03T18:15:45Z
• Authors: Jasper M. de Goeij; Dick van Oevelen; Mark J. A. Vermeij; Ronald Osinga; Jack J. Middelburg; Anton F. P. M. de...; Wim Admiraal
• Keywords: Coral reef organizations; Sponge; Detritus; Aquaculture of coral

Ever since Darwin's early descriptions of coral reefs, scientists have debated how one the world's most productive and diverse ecosystems can thrive in marine equivalent a desert. It is an enigma flux dissolved organic matter (DOM), largest resource produced on transferred to higher trophic levels. Here we show that sponges make DOM available fauna by rapidly expelling filter cells as detritus subsequently consumed reef fauna. This "sponge loop" was confirmed aquarium situ food web experiments, using (13)C- (15)N-enriched DOM. The DOM-sponge-fauna pathway explains why biological hot spots such reefs persist oligotrophic seas--the reef's paradox--and has implications for ecosystem functioning conservation strategies.