The Mysterious Realm of Deep Sea Sponges
Sponges (Porifera) of the deep sea play a vital role in supporting communities of life.
2022-03-08 19:00:00 - Natural World Facts
With over 8,500 sponge species known to science, and colonising vast areas of the sea floor from the shallow intertidal zone to the continental slope and the abyssal plain of the deep, their success is extraordinary and their importance unparalleled.
They are ecosystem engineers. By building reefs and cycling nutrients, they form the foundation of many communities, and have been doing so for over 600 million years.
This is the wonderful world of sponges.
00:00 - Introduction to Sponges
01:35 - Anatomy of Sponges - The Basic Morphology
02:28 - Anatomy of Sponges - Boring and Encrusting Sponges
02:51 - Anatomy of Sponges - Erect Sponges
03:11 - Anatomy of Sponges - The Sclereocytes
03:52 - Anatomy of Sponges - The Archeocytes
04:13 - Anatomy of Sponges - The Choanocytes
04:45 - Role of Sponges - The Importance of Pumping
05:26 - Role of Sponges - Reef-builders
06:33 - Role of Sponges - The Sponge Crab Symbiosis
07:52 - Sponges of the Deep - The Sponge Gardens
09:09 - Sponges of the Deep - Carnivorous Sponges
10:16 - Sponges of the Deep - Benthic-Pelagic Coupling
11:03 - Sponges of the Deep - Calcareous Sponges
11:30 - Sponges of the Deep - Silaceous Sponges
12:06 - Sponges of the Deep - Life at the Vents
12:33 - Conclusion