Mesophotic coral reef ecosystems are characterized by gradients in irradiance, temperature and trophic resources. On Caribbean mesophotic reefs as depth increases particulate organic matter increases, while dissolved organic matter decreases, and the increase in particulate organic matter is directly related to the increase in sponge abundances and growth rates on MCEs. To further understand the trophic ecology of sponges, changes in microbiome composition and function, stable isotopic composition, and proximate biochemical composition of 4 Caribbean reef sponges (Amphimedon compressa, Agelas tubulata, Plakortis angulospiculatus and Xestospongia muta) were quantified along a shallow to mesophotic depth gradient on Grand Cayman Island. Increases in the δ15N for all sponges as depth increased were observed, indicating an increasing reliance on heterotrophic food resources. Species-specific changes in the symbiotic microbial community composition were also observed as depth increased, and the predicted functional genes associated with nitrogen and carbon cycling showed species-specific changes between depths. Regardless of species-specific changes in microbiome community structure or function, or whether sponges were classified as high microbial or low microbial abundance, sponges increased their consumption of particulate organic matter with increasing depth into the lower mesophotic zone.

Depth range
15- 91 m

Mesophotic “mentions”
39 x (total of 8313 words)

Classification
* Presents original data
* Focused on 'mesophotic' depth range
* Focused on 'mesophotic coral ecosystem'

Fields
Ecology
Molecular ecology
Physiology

Focusgroups
Porifera (Sponges)

Locations
Cayman Islands