A team of British ecologists and marine biologists from John Moores University and the Natural History Museum in Liverpool demonstrated that studying sea sponges can illuminate the makeup of nearby fish communities. Scientists detected DNA fragments from a range of marine life within the tissues of these sponges. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
Sea sponges live on the ocean floor, feeding by filtering nutrients and oxygen from seawater. The researchers focused on three sponge types and showed that the porous interiors of these organisms preserve the DNA of fish inhabiting specific locales. In effect, sponges function as living DNA repositories that archive local biodiversity and ecological dynamics.
By sampling sponges and analyzing their genetic material, the team mapped underwater ecosystems across sections of the North Atlantic. The genetic information carried by the sponges provided a window into species presence and distribution that would be hard to achieve with traditional survey methods alone. The approach holds the promise of significantly reducing the cost and logistical burden of comprehensive ocean biodiversity assessments while expanding our understanding of ecological networks beneath the waves. according to the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, this method could complement conventional surveys and enable more frequent, scalable monitoring of marine life.
Historically, scientists have used DNA extracted from ancient contexts to reconstruct past environments, such as analyzing the DNA content of 2900-year-old clay bricks to infer plant life from that era. The sponge studies extend the idea of DNA as a living archive into contemporary oceans, offering a rapid, noninvasive means to gauge present biodiversity across expansive marine spaces. Researchers emphasize that while this approach is not a complete substitute for direct observation, it provides a powerful supplementary tool for tracking changes in fish communities and the habitats they rely on. the work underscores a shift toward integrating molecular techniques with traditional field ecology to build a more resilient picture of ocean health and resilience. according to the Royal Society B publication, continued development of this method could enable regular, cost-effective biodiversity monitoring that supports conservation and fisheries management across North Atlantic waters.