Wound healing in Caribbean sponges
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Kyle D. Walters (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
- Advisor
- Joseph Pawlik
Abstract: On Caribbean coral reefs, many sponges produce chemical defenses that deter fish
predation. Sponge species that constitute most of the diet of sponge-eating fishes lack
chemical defenses and live exposed on the reef. It has been hypothesized that these
chemically undefended species may compensate for fish grazing by growing faster or
rapidly healing wounds. Wound healing experiments were conducted to determine if
differences exist in the healing rates of chemically defended and undefended species of
tubular and vase-shaped sponges. Experiments were conducted on patch reefs in the
Florida Keys and the Bahamas in 2002. A scalpel was used to cut circular holes in each
sponge approximately 2 cm2 in area and 3 cm from the lip of the sponge. Photographs of
each wound were taken after the wound was cut and 12 days later. Photographs of the
wounds of several individuals of each sponge species were taken on multiple days during
the experiment. A digitizing software program was used to measure the area of wound
healing. Healing rates were significantly faster during the first few days of the
experiment, with rates leveling off after the third day. Undefended sponges healed
wounds at significantly faster rates than sponges with chemical defenses. Undefended
sponges were Callyspongia plicifera (8% wound area regenerated per day), Callyspongia
vaginalis (6%), Niphates digitalis (6%), and Xestospongia muta (6.5%). Chemically
defended sponges were Cribrochalina vasculum (2%), Ircinia campana (2%), and
Verongula gigantea (0%). Orientation of wounds relative to the tidal current had no
influence on healing rates. Niphates digitalis individuals growing in tubular form had
faster healing rates than individuals with vasiform shapes. This study suggests that Caribbean reef sponges may have followed two different evolutionary trajectories with
regard to fish predation: chemically defended species deter predation and have slow
healing rates, while chemically undefended species allocate resources to rapid wound
healing in response to frequent grazing.
Wound healing in Caribbean sponges
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Created on 1/1/2009
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- Demospongiae, Sponges--Caribbean Area, Sponges--Defenses, Sponges--Defenses, Wound healing--Experiments
- Subjects
- Sponges -- Defenses
- Sponges -- Caribbean Area
- Wound healing -- Experiments
- Demospongiae
Title | Location & Link | Type of Relationship |
Literature Cited | http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncw/f/waltersk2003-1.pdf | The described resource includes the related resource either physically or logically. |
Title page, table of contents, & abstract | http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncw/f/waltersk2003-2.pdf | The described resource includes the related resource either physically or logically. |