EU project SponGES
Published November 1, 2020 | Version v1
Preprint Open

Population connectivity of fan-shaped sponge holobionts in the deep Cantabrian Sea

Creators

  • 1. GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany
  • 2. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Departamento de Biología (Zoología), Cantoblanco 28049, Madrid, Spain, The Natural History Museum of London, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom; Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Apdo. 20, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
  • 3. The Natural History Museum of London, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom; Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Apdo. 20, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
  • 4. The Natural History Museum of London, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
  • 5. Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Apdo. 20, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain; Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Santander C/ Promontorio San Martín S/n, 39004, Santander, Spain
  • 6. Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Apdo. 20, 28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain; Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, C/ Príncipe de Asturias 70 Bis, 33212, Gijón, Asturias, Spain
  • 7. Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology (IKMB), Rosalind-Franklin-Straße 12, 24105, Kiel, Germany
  • 8. GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105, Kiel, Germany
  • 9. GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105, Kiel, Germany; Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-Platz 4, 24118, Kiel, Germany

Description

ABSTRACT

Connectivity is a fundamental process driving the persistence of marine populations and their adaptation potential in response to environmental change. In this study, we analysed the population genetics of two morphologically highly similar deep-sea sponge clades (Phakellia hirondellei and the ‘Topsentia-and-Petromica’ clade, (hereafter referred to as ‘TaP clade’)) at three locations in the Cantabrian Sea and simultaneously assessed the corresponding host microbiome by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A virtual particle tracking approach (Lagrangian modelling) was applied to assess oceanographic connectivity in the study area. We observed overall genetic uniformity for both sponge clades. Notably, subtle genetic differences were observed for sponges of the TaP clade and also their microbiomes between a canyon and bank location, < 100 km apart and with the same depth range. The Lagrangian model output suggests a strong retention of larvae in the study area with variable inter-annual connectivity via currents between the three sampling regions. We conclude that geologic features (canyons) and the prevailing ocean currents may dictate sponge holobiont connectivity and that differentiation can emerge even on small spatial scales.

Notes

ABBREVIATIONS TaP cladeTopsentia-and-Petromica clade ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We dedicate this study to Hans Tore Rapp, friend, mentor and esteemed colleague whose outstanding expertise in deep-sea sponge taxonomy will be dearly missed. We greatly acknowledge the crew and scientific party of RV Ángeles Alvariño cruise SponGES0617 for their valuable support at sea. As well as members of the IEO Gijón for logistical support during a guest stay of KB before the cruise. We appreciate Andrea Hethke's and Ina Clefsen's, as well as Thomas Hansen's assistance in the laboratory after the cruise while generating the microbial amplicon and flow cytometry data. We thank Willi Rath for support in technical issues with the modelling part, and Lara Schmittmann and Ina Clefsen for technical support with 18S and COI sequencing. Paco Cárdenas provided valuable input with regard to the sponge taxonomic identification and on a first draft of the manuscript, which was very much appreciated. We further thank two anonymous reviewers for their valuable input during the review process. AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS UH, AR, AB, KB designed the study. KB, AR, ST, VK, PR, JC participated in sampling. PR, JC, AR conducted sponge taxonomic analysis. ST, AR performed sponge population genetic analyses, while KB, UH performed microbial analyses. CS, KB, AB designed and performed Lagrangian modelling. KG provided VIKING20X data. VK and KB did microscopy of sponge tissue. KB performed assessment of environmental conditions in situ and remotely. AF was involved in sequencing of microbial samples. KB and UH wrote the manuscript, and the other authors reviewed and edited it. FUNDING This study was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 679849 (the SponGES project). This document reflects only the authors' view and the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. The model computations were performed at the North German Supercomputing Alliance (HLRN) supported by the cooperative program 'RACE-Regional Atlantic Circulation and Global Change' (BMBF Grant 03F0824C).

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Funding

SponGES – Deep-sea Sponge Grounds Ecosystems of the North Atlantic: an integrated approach towards their preservation and sustainable exploitation 679849
European Commission