Experts on busy life of a sea sponge, sentinels of ocean change

A new study published in the Marine Ecology Progress Series highlights a resilient sea sponge’s response to its changing environment. The rare footage was captured by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) seafloor cameras off the BC coast for over four years, marking the longest continuous recording of these ancient but remarkably active animals in the wild.

Researchers at the University of Victoria (UVic), ONC, and the University of Alberta are co-authors and can speak to the following points:

• The sponge’s colour darkened from a healthy pale orange-yellow to a deep orange and it took on a lumpy texture following the marine heatwave (aka the Blob) in the Pacific Ocean off North America between 2013 to 2016.
• Long-term monitoring of sedentary animals like sponges is rare and the study provides pivotal insight into the impact of environmental conditions such as water quality and temperature, both of which are affected by climate.
• Each winter, the sponge contracted to half its size, despite lacking muscles and a nervous system, as it entered a dormant state – a new and evolving area of research.
• The sponge was observed performing regular “sneeze-like” contractions lasting upwards of a day at a time to clear debris that accumulated while filter feeding. 
• Ongoing monitoring could reveal even more about how sea sponges respond to changing ocean conditions,
• The sponge was nicknamed Belinda by the research team, a nod to the beloved cartoon character, SpongeBob.
• Sponges can live for hundreds or even thousands of years and can be sentinels of ocean change.

Read the Marine Ecology Progress Series journal article Long-term observations of a sponge in situ reveal a rich repertoire of contractile behaviors, including winter dormancy.

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) operates world-leading observatories in the deep ocean and coastal waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic coasts of Canada as well as the Southern Ocean, collecting ocean data that accelerates scientific discovery and makes possible services and solutions for a resilient planet. ONC’s cabled observatories supply continuous power and Internet connectivity to scientific instruments, cameras, and 12,000-plus ocean sensors. ONC also operates mobile and land-based assets, including coastal radar. ONC is an initiative of the University of Victoria and is funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Government of Canada.

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Click for media kit containing a four-year timelapse of Belinda the sponge, showing changes in shape, colour and texture.