Selective feeding by the giant barrel sponge enhances foraging efficiency

McMurray, Steven E.; Johnson, Zackary I.; Hunt, Dana E.; Pawlik, Joseph R.; Finelli, Christopher M.

doi:10.1002/lno.10287

i

Selective feeding by the giant barrel sponge enhances foraging efficiency

2016
By McMurray, Steven E. ; Johnson, Zackary I. ; Hunt, Dana E. ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Limnology and Oceanography
Personal Author:

McMurray, Steven E. ; Johnson, Zackary I. ; Hunt, Dana E. ; Pawlik, Joseph R. ; Finelli, Christopher M.
NOAA Program & Office:

NOAA General Documents
Description:

Foraging theory predicts the evolution of feeding behaviors that increase consumer fitness. Sponges were among the earliest metazoans on earth and developed a unique filter‐feeding mechanism that does not rely on a nervous system. Once thought indiscriminate, sponges are now known to selectively consume picoplankton, but it is unclear whether this confers any benefit. Additionally, sponges consume dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and detritus, but relative preferences for these resources are unknown. We quantified suspension feeding by the giant barrel sponge Xestospongia muta on Conch Reef, Florida, to examine relationships between diet choice, food resource availability, and foraging efficiency. Sponges consistently preferred cyanobacteria over other picoplankton, which were preferred over detritus and DOC; nevertheless, the sponge diet was mostly DOC (∼70%) and detritus (∼20%). Consistent with foraging theory, less‐preferred foods were discriminated against when relatively scarce, but were increasingly accepted as they became relatively more abundant. Food uptake was limited, likely by post‐capture constraints, yet selective foraging enabled sponges to increase nutritional gains.
Keywords:

Aquatic Science Oceanography
Source:

Limnology and Oceanography, 61(4), 1271-1286
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10287
ISSN:

0024-3590 ; 1939-5590
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

Wiley
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

Accepted Manuscript
Compliance:

Library
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:ec0d61ae549563187f8693194f25c0b8fecbadca789e33c890815fba8de8ebda
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/57140/noaa_57140_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 2.18 MB ]

ON THIS PAGE

Details

The NOAA IR serves as an archival repository of NOAA-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other information authored or co-authored by NOAA or funded partners. As a repository, the NOAA IR retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.