03.11.2016: FB3-Seminar

13:15 Uhr, Hörsaal, Düsternbrooker Weg 20 

Abstract:
Ever since Darwin’s early descriptions of reefs, it has been a mystery how one of earth’s most productive and diverse ecosystems thrives in oligotrophic seas, as an oasis in a marine desert. The recently discovered sponge loop pathway by our research team shows how sponges efficiently retain and transfer energy and nutrients on reefs, recognizing their (so far neglected) role as key ecosystem drivers. Evidence now accumulates on sponge loops in other ecosystems, such as deep-sea coral reefs. As a result, current reef food web models lacking sponge-driven resource cycling are incomplete and need to be redeveloped. However, mechanisms that determine the capacity of sponge 'engines', how they are fuelled, and drive communities are unknown.
I will discuss the establishment of a novel reef food web framework, integrating sponges as key ecosystem drivers. To this end, existing critical knowledge gaps at both organismal and community scale will be identified. Sponges possess functional traits (morphology, associated microbes, pumping capacity) in the processing of dissolved food, the main fuel of the sponge engine. But to what extent are these different functional traits a driving force in structuring reef ecosystems, from fuel input (primary producers), to engine output (driving and modulating the consumer food web)? The sponge-driven food we will be a much-needed foundation to test and predict future changes in tropical, temperate as well as cold-water deep-sea reefs.

Kontakt: Frank Melzner