Seasonal Variability in Near-bed Environmental Conditions in the Vazella pourtalesii Glass Sponge Grounds of the Scotian Shelf

The Scotian Shelf harbors unique aggregations of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesii
that provides an important habitat for benthic and pelagic fauna. Recent studies
have shown that these sponge grounds have persisted in the face of strong interannual
and multi-decadal variability in temperature and salinity. However, little is known
of these environmental characteristics on hourly-seasonal time scales. This study
presents the first hydrodynamic observations and associated (food) particle supply
mechanisms for the Vazella sponge grounds, highlighting the influence of natural
variability in environmental conditions on sponge growth and resilience.