Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders
Sponges are one of the earliest-evolved and simplest groups of animals, but they share basic characteristics with more advanced and later-evolved filter-feeding invertebrates, such as mussels. Sponges are abundant in many coastal regions where they filter large amounts of water for food particles an...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/5/607 |
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| author | Hans Ulrik Riisgård Poul S. Larsen |
| author_facet | Hans Ulrik Riisgård Poul S. Larsen |
| author_sort | Hans Ulrik Riisgård |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sponges are one of the earliest-evolved and simplest groups of animals, but they share basic characteristics with more advanced and later-evolved filter-feeding invertebrates, such as mussels. Sponges are abundant in many coastal regions where they filter large amounts of water for food particles and thus play an important ecological role. Therefore, a better understanding of the bioenergetics and growth of sponges compared to other filter-feeders is important. While the filtration (pumping) rates of many sponge species have been measured as a function of their size, little is known about their rate of growth. Here, we use a bioenergetic growth model for demosponges, based on the energy budget and observations of filtration (<i>F</i>) and respiration rates (<i>R</i>). Because <i>F</i> versus dry weight (<i>W</i>) can be expressed as <i>F</i> = <i>a</i><sub>1</sub><i>W<sup>b</sup></i><sup>1</sup> and the maintenance respiratory rate can be expressed as <i>R</i><sub>m</sub> = <i>a</i><sub>2</sub><i>W<sup>b</sup></i><sup>2</sup>, we show that if <i>b</i><sub>1</sub>~ <i>b</i><sub>2</sub> the growth rate can be expressed as: <i>G</i> = <i>aW<sup>b</sup></i><sup>1</sup>, and, consequently, the weight-specific growth rate is <i>µ</i> = <i>G/W</i> = <i>aW<sup>b</sup></i><sup>1−1</sup> = <i>aW<sup>b</sup></i> where the constant <i>a</i> depends on ambient sponge-available food particles (free-living bacteria and phytoplankton with diameter < ostia diameter). Because the exponent <i>b</i><sub>1</sub> is close to 1, then <i>b</i> ~ 0, which implies <i>µ</i> = <i>a</i> and thus exponential growth as confirmed in field growth studies. Exponential growth in sponges and in at least some bryozoans is probably unique among filter-feeding invertebrates. Finally, we show that the <i>F/R</i>-ratio and the derived oxygen extraction efficiency in these sponges are similar to other filter-feeding invertebrates, thus reflecting a comparable adaptation to feeding on a thin suspension of bacteria and phytoplankton. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:38:25Z |
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| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:38:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-35f23d4c912b4f57a969abf01cee02da2023-11-23T11:39:08ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-04-0110560710.3390/jmse10050607Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-FeedersHans Ulrik Riisgård0Poul S. Larsen1Marine Biological Research Centre, University of Southern Denmark, 5300 Kerteminde, DenmarkDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, DenmarkSponges are one of the earliest-evolved and simplest groups of animals, but they share basic characteristics with more advanced and later-evolved filter-feeding invertebrates, such as mussels. Sponges are abundant in many coastal regions where they filter large amounts of water for food particles and thus play an important ecological role. Therefore, a better understanding of the bioenergetics and growth of sponges compared to other filter-feeders is important. While the filtration (pumping) rates of many sponge species have been measured as a function of their size, little is known about their rate of growth. Here, we use a bioenergetic growth model for demosponges, based on the energy budget and observations of filtration (<i>F</i>) and respiration rates (<i>R</i>). Because <i>F</i> versus dry weight (<i>W</i>) can be expressed as <i>F</i> = <i>a</i><sub>1</sub><i>W<sup>b</sup></i><sup>1</sup> and the maintenance respiratory rate can be expressed as <i>R</i><sub>m</sub> = <i>a</i><sub>2</sub><i>W<sup>b</sup></i><sup>2</sup>, we show that if <i>b</i><sub>1</sub>~ <i>b</i><sub>2</sub> the growth rate can be expressed as: <i>G</i> = <i>aW<sup>b</sup></i><sup>1</sup>, and, consequently, the weight-specific growth rate is <i>µ</i> = <i>G/W</i> = <i>aW<sup>b</sup></i><sup>1−1</sup> = <i>aW<sup>b</sup></i> where the constant <i>a</i> depends on ambient sponge-available food particles (free-living bacteria and phytoplankton with diameter < ostia diameter). Because the exponent <i>b</i><sub>1</sub> is close to 1, then <i>b</i> ~ 0, which implies <i>µ</i> = <i>a</i> and thus exponential growth as confirmed in field growth studies. Exponential growth in sponges and in at least some bryozoans is probably unique among filter-feeding invertebrates. Finally, we show that the <i>F/R</i>-ratio and the derived oxygen extraction efficiency in these sponges are similar to other filter-feeding invertebrates, thus reflecting a comparable adaptation to feeding on a thin suspension of bacteria and phytoplankton.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/5/607bioenergetic growth modelenergy budgetfiltration raterespiration<i>F/R</i>-ratiofilter-feeding |
| spellingShingle | Hans Ulrik Riisgård Poul S. Larsen Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders Journal of Marine Science and Engineering bioenergetic growth model energy budget filtration rate respiration <i>F/R</i>-ratio filter-feeding |
| title | Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders |
| title_full | Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders |
| title_fullStr | Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders |
| title_short | Actual and Model-Predicted Growth of Sponges—With a Bioenergetic Comparison to Other Filter-Feeders |
| title_sort | actual and model predicted growth of sponges with a bioenergetic comparison to other filter feeders |
| topic | bioenergetic growth model energy budget filtration rate respiration <i>F/R</i>-ratio filter-feeding |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/5/607 |
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