Surveys were conducted on the fore-reef slopes (proximal to the major wind and wave inputs) of 2 inner shelf reefs (Pandora Reef and Philips Reef), 4 middle shelf reefs (Rib Reef, John Brewer Reef, Lodestone Reef and Davies Reef), 2 outer shelf reefs (Dip Reef and Bowl Reef) and one Coral Sea reef (Flinders South Reef). Three reefs were surveyed at other locations due to unfavourable weather (Myrmidon Reef [outer shelf], north-east slope, Flinders Cay [Coral Sea], south-west slope), or because no south-east side existed (Flinders West [Coral Sea], a near vertical south-west slope). At Davies Reef, surveys were also conducted in back reef and lagoon habitats. The fore-reef slopes of three reefs across Princess Charlotte Bay in the northern Great Barrier Reef were also surveyed (Rodda Reef, Corbett Reef and Clack Reef).Surveys were conducted along triplicate 20 m transect lines laid along depth contours (1.3, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 m) with transects separated by at least 10 m. At Davies Reef duplicate surveys were also conducted at 30 m and 40 m on the fore-reef and visual surveys were conducted at these depths on the back reef slope. All obvious sponges (cryptic, boring and very thin encrusting species excluded) were collected, sorted and wet weights recorded.All sponges were given unique species codes. Sponge species abundance was recorded. Sponges were divided into the following categories: phototrophic (Ph) with large populations of cyanobacterial symbionts (Pg/R>1.5 for at least 8 hrs/day); mixed (Mi) with fewer photosynthetic symbionts usually as a thin layer on the outside (Pg/R<1.5); and heterotrophic (He) with no photosynthetic symbionts (Pg = gross photosynthetic oxygen production, R= respiration). This research was undertaken to:- study variation in sponge species diversity, abundance and biomass with depth across the continental shelf in the central Great Barrier Reef to the Coral Sea- analyse sponge community structure by grouping sites on the basis of similarity of species composition and to quantify similarities and differences between sites- investigate sponge distribution in different habitats within a reef (Davies Reef)To study the relationship of sponge distribution to light.

Sponge population surveys were conducted in mid-winter (July 1983) at 8 sites along a 1.3 km transect across the reef flat, north of the weather station on Flinders Cay. All sponges within duplicate 2 x 2 m quadrats were collected, identified and weighed (wet weight). Respirometry was used to measure rates of oxygen exchange on 20 to 55 g (wet weight) samples of sponge tissue. Rates were measured for 5 specimens of each of Carteriospongia "folpap", Carteriospongia "cups" and Phyllospongia "fingers" and 2 specimens of Thorectidae "firmred". Integrated daily productivity was estimated by using light profiles, measured at the time and interpreted using published equations. Summer productivity rates were estimated using the July production and respiration rates and summer light profiles, with no provision for changes in photoadaptation or temperature. Chlorophyll a content (µg/g wet weight) and mean thickness (mm) of the sponge tissue used for respirometry were also measured. This research was undertaken to determine the contribution of sponges to reef flat productivity by:1. estimating the size and extent of sponge populations on the reef flat2. measuring photosynthetic production and respiration of specimens of the most abundant sponge species present Specimens of sponges were provided to Professor PR Bergquist of the Australian Museum with the following registration numbers:Thorectidae "firmred": Z4970Carteriospongia "folpap": Z4977Phyllospongia "fingers": Z4978Carteriospongia "cups": Z4974

Polygons denoting concentrations of sea pens, small and large gorgonian corals and sponges on the east coast of Canada have been identified through spatial analysis of research vessel survey by-catch data following an approach used by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) in the Regulatory Area (NRA) on Flemish Cap and southeast Grand Banks. Kernel density analysis was used to identify high concentrations and the area occupied by successive catch weight thresholds was used to identify aggregations. These analyses were performed for each of the five biogeographic zones of eastern Canada. The largest sea pen fields were found in the Laurentian Channel as it cuts through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, while large gorgonian coral forests were found in the Eastern Arctic and on the northern Labrador continental slope. Large ball-shaped Geodia spp. sponges were located along the continental slopes north of the Grand Banks, while on the Scotian Shelf a unique population of the large barrel-shaped sponge Vazella pourtalesi was identified. The latitude and longitude marking the positions of all tows which form these and other dense aggregations are provided along with the positions of all tows which captured black coral, a non-aggregating taxon which is long-lived and vulnerable to fishing pressures. These polygons identify sponge grounds from the broader distribution of sponges in the region as sampled by Campelen trawl gear in the Newfoundland - Labrador Shelves biogeographic zone. A 200 kg minimum threshold for the sponge catch was identified as the weight that separated the sponge ground habitat from the broader distribution of sponges with these research vessel tow data and gear type.

In February 1986, specimens of five massive sponge species (Pseudoceratina crassa, Ircinia felix, Verongula ardis, Smenospongia aurea and Agelas dispar) were collected from 20 m depth, approximately 1 km to the west of the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory in Jamaica. The site was covered by a dense bed of Acropora rubble in excess of half a meter thick, which had accumulated during Hurricane Allen and contained numerous small sponges and coral colonies growing on pieces of the rubble.Regular-shaped animals (presumably derived from a single larva), which were attached to rubble and without obvious signs of predation damage were chosen. The sponges were weighed after draining for approximately 20 seconds and the volume measured by displacement in water. Estimates of dry weight were made on 5 individuals of each species after drying for 36 hours at 80°C.The size-class structure of the Pseudoceratina crassa population was estimated using the MIX program, which is an interactive program used to fit distributions to grouped data by maximum likelihood estimation. For Pseudoceratina crassa, it was assumed that there were five size groupings representing the recruitment from five annual spawning events between Hurricane Allen (August 1980) and the date of collection. The mean size of sponges in each size-class was determined from the significant fit obtained to the size-frequency data with the MIX program. These mean values for each size-class were analyzed using a least squares regression to provide an exponential growth model (Wt = ae^alpha t) from which the relative growth rate alpha was estimated.Growth rates for the other four sponge species could not be obtained by the same method due to the limited number of specimens. Growth rate approximations for these species were derived using the growth model from Pseudoceratina crassa, assuming that the average size at 50 days after spawning was the same for all species. Dates for spawning of these species were extracted from the literature. Hurricane Allen passed within 50 km of the north coast of Jamaica on 6 August 1980. Large seas generated by winds in excess of 250 km per hour caused extensive damage to the coral reefs in the vicinity of the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory.

Size frequency surveys of the sponges Coscinoderma matthewsi, Hyrtios erecta and Ianthella basta (yellow color morph) were conducted at Masig Island, central Torres Strait, in March 2007. At each of eight sites, separated by at least 200 m, three randomly positioned 30 x 1 m transects were surveyed, with each transect separated by at least 20 m. All transects were located on sloping reef at between 10 and 12 m depth.The greatest dimension of each sponge was measured for Coscinoderma matthewsi and Ianthella basta, and used as an approximation of overall sponge size. Due to the branching morphology of Hyrtios erecta, the length of each individual branch was included to give an overall measurement. Sponges were also assigned a competition class based on the percentage of their perimeter in contact or within 1 cm of surrounding or encroaching organisms.Three tissue samples, each 1-2 cm³ were collected from 20 different individuals of each species from a single site to examine the influence of sponge size on bioactivity. Prior to sampling, sponges were also measured for size, photographed and assigned a competition class. The sponges sampled encompassed the full size range of each respective species, except for very small sponges, which did have sufficient tissue to obtain three independent tissue samples. Sponges displaying signs of disease were not sampled. Samples were frozen at -20°C within one hour of collection and kept frozen until freeze dried.Freeze-dried sponge tissue samples were weighed and extracted 3 times with methanol (MeOH). Crude extracts were made up into a 100 mg/ml concentration in MeOH based on individual extract weights. 100 µl of each sample was then aliquoted to microtitre plates and dried down, yielding 10 mg of dry extract per sample for bioactivity screening.The production of bioactive metabolites and overall bioactivity of sponges was examined using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Crude extracts were re-suspended in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and added to 96 well plates containing 100 µl of pre-incubated cell suspension. Several concentrations were tested for each species, with the concentration showing the greatest fine-scale variation in toxicity between individual samples selected for the analyses: 100 µg/ml for Coscinoderma matthewsi; 0.1875 µg/ml for Hyrtios erecta; and 100 µg/ml for Ianthella basta. One replicate plate was made for each sample plate and for each concentration, with appropriate controls. After 48 hours of incubation, plates were fixed with trichloroacetic acid and stained using 0.4% SRB. Plates were read using the Wallac Victor plate reader at an absorbance of 490 nm, and % cell growth values were calculated. This study was undertaken to examine the influence of individual size and spatial competition on the bioactivity of three coral reef sponges of differing morphologies, occurring in Torres Strait: Coscinoderma matthewsi (a massive, hemispherical sponge), Hyrtios erecta (a club-shaped branching sponge) and Ianthella basta (a fan-like sponge).

Funded under DFO's Marine Conservation Targets Program in partnership with the Huntsman Marine Science Centre (HMSC), this diver-based imagery and sample collection benthic survey documents the occurrence of sponges at 42 dive sites in the Eastern Shore Islands (ESI) Area of Interest (AOI, ~2089 km2) off the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada from dive surveys conducted in summer 2021 and 2022. Water quality, species occurrences and counts, habitat, slope, and substrate characteristics were catalogued through diver log sheets, camera imagery, specimen vouchers, and high-resolution bathymetric data. A total of 54 dives to depths from 11 to 33 m (below sea level), collecting up to 147 still images, one-hour of video, and 17 specimen samples per site, resulted in 220 observations for 27 different sponge taxa. This included three new records for Canada (Hymedesmia stellifera, Plocamionida arndti, Hymedesmia jecusculum) and a range extension for a species new to science (Crellomima mehqisinpekonuta) which was recently described from the Bay of Fundy. There were also four species which may seem to be new to science (Halichondria sp., Hymedesmia sp., Protosuberires sp., and Sphaerotylus sp.). Sponges were found to occupy a diversity of micro-habitats, often several different ones in proximity. A total of eight distinct habitat classes were defined, based on varying abundances and diversity of sponges and associated benthic species. These are likely widely distributed among the many complex submerged seabed features within this AOI. Collected specimens were preserved and are stored at the Atlantic Reference Centre (ARC) in St. Andrew's, New Brunswick. Cite this data as: Goodwin, C., Cooper, J.A., Lawton, P., Teed, L.L. 2025. Sponge occurrence and associated species and habitat descriptions derived from the 2021 and 2022 SCUBA diving surveys in the Eastern Shore Islands Area of Interest, Nova Scotia. Version 1.4. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Occurrence dataset. https://ipt.iobis.org/obiscanada/resource?r=eastern_shore_islands_sponge_survey_2021_2022&v=1.4