NSF funding to study Caribbean sponges
We are excited to announced our new NSF funding award for research into the co-evolution of sponges with their microbiomes in the Caribbean basin. Read about it in the news at UNH in an article by Beth Potier.
Sponges have emerged as dominant and ecologically relevant taxon on many coral reefs. They also host diverse assemblages of symbiotic microorganisms that play critical functional roles. We predict that the co-evolution of the sponge host and microbiome has lead to emergent functional properties resulting in niche diversification and speciation of sponges. We plan to quantify the trophic modes of sponges in the Caribbean (Belize, Curacao, and Florida), as well as their production of chemical defenses. These character states will be analyzed in the context of the phylogenetic composition of the sponge hosts and their microbiomes, as well as the functional activities of the host and symbionts at the genetic level.