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Small scale distribution of bioeroding sponges in shallow water at Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef

Name: Small scale distribution of bioeroding sponges in shallow water at Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef
Published: 2026

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

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ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0bd6ebaf-f978-45c9-b351-639e1b84f06c&rft.title=Small scale distribution of bioeroding sponges in shallow water at Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef&rft.identifier=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0bd6ebaf-f978-45c9-b351-639e1b84f06c&rft.publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)&rft.description=Five permanent 100m transects were established in the southern corner of Little Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island. The transects, placed perpendicular to the coast, extended from the sandy zone, which is dry at low tide, across the reef flat. A quadrat with 0.5m sides, divided into 25 x 100 cm² quadrats was placed on the substrate along the whole length of each transect. The area of sponge tissue was estimated by counting the 100 cm² quadrats in which sponge tissue occurred. Due to the difficulty in identifying species in the field, seven species or groups of species were distinguished along the transects. These were: encrusting beta-form Cliona orientalis; brown alpha-form sponges (including the alpha-form of Cliona orientalis); brown to orange alpha-form sponges (includes Pione vastifica, Pione caesia and Bernatia vermifera); yellow to orange sponges (includes Cliona celata and Cliothosa hancocki); Aka mucosa; Zyzzya criceta; and others.Substrate characteristics were also recorded along the transects by counting the number of 100 cm² quadrats with over 50% of a given substrate. The substrate categories included: sand; rubble; rock; mud; dead top coral; coral material pavement; soft corals (mainly Sarcophyton); branching corals (Porites cylindrica, Millepora sp. and Porites rus); massive Porites colonies; various live corals; and funnel shaped corals. These characteristics were used to define zones along the transects. The zones were: sand flat; mixed zone (sand, rubble, dead top coral); coral pavement; branching corals; live coral reef relief; and soft coral belts. The amount of exposed calcium carbonate substrate suitable for settlement of bioeroding sponges was recorded. This study was initiated to address the lack of ecological data on bioeroding sponges in the Pacific. The objective was to determine small-scale distribution patterns of bioeroding sponges in shallow water across a reef flat and to examine the relationship between distribution patterns and substrate availability, exposure during low tide and water depth.Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlannedStatement: All available data is presented in the cited papers.&rft.creator=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) &rft.date=2026&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.48945689201358; southlimit=-18.59923250631276; eastlimit=146.48945689201358; northlimit=-18.59923250631276&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.48945689201358; southlimit=-18.59923250631276; eastlimit=146.48945689201358; northlimit=-18.59923250631276&rft_rights=Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/au/&rft_rights=Use Limitation: All AIMS data, products and services are provided as is and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.&rft_rights=Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2011). Small scale distribution of bioeroding sponges in shallow water at Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0bd6ebaf-f978-45c9-b351-639e1b84f06c, accessed[date-of-access].&rft_rights=Resource Usage:Use of the AIMS data is for not-for-profit applications only. All other users shall seek permission for use by contacting AIMS. Acknowledgements as prescribed must be clearly set out in the user's formal communications or publications.&rft_subject=oceans&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

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Use Limitation: All AIMS data, products and services are provided "as is" and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.

Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: "Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2011). Small scale distribution of bioeroding sponges in shallow water at Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/0bd6ebaf-f978-45c9-b351-639e1b84f06c, accessed[date-of-access]".

Resource Usage:Use of the AIMS data is for not-for-profit applications only. All other users shall seek permission for use by contacting AIMS. Acknowledgements as prescribed must be clearly set out in the user's formal communications or publications.

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Five permanent 100m transects were established in the southern corner of Little Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island. The transects, placed perpendicular to the coast, extended from the sandy zone, which is dry at low tide, across the reef flat. A quadrat with 0.5m sides, divided into 25 x 100 cm² quadrats was placed on the substrate along the whole length of each transect. The area of sponge tissue was estimated by counting the 100 cm² quadrats in which sponge tissue occurred. Due to the difficulty in identifying species in the field, seven species or groups of species were distinguished along the transects. These were: encrusting beta-form Cliona orientalis; brown alpha-form sponges (including the alpha-form of Cliona orientalis); brown to orange alpha-form sponges (includes Pione vastifica, Pione caesia and Bernatia vermifera); yellow to orange sponges (includes Cliona celata and Cliothosa hancocki); Aka mucosa; Zyzzya criceta; and others.Substrate characteristics were also recorded along the transects by counting the number of 100 cm² quadrats with over 50% of a given substrate. The substrate categories included: sand; rubble; rock; mud; dead top coral; coral material pavement; soft corals (mainly Sarcophyton); branching corals (Porites cylindrica, Millepora sp. and Porites rus); massive Porites colonies; various live corals; and funnel shaped corals. These characteristics were used to define zones along the transects. The zones were: sand flat; mixed zone (sand, rubble, dead top coral); coral pavement; branching corals; live coral reef relief; and soft coral belts. The amount of exposed calcium carbonate substrate suitable for settlement of bioeroding sponges was recorded.
This study was initiated to address the lack of ecological data on bioeroding sponges in the Pacific. The objective was to determine small-scale distribution patterns of bioeroding sponges in shallow water across a reef flat and to examine the relationship between distribution patterns and substrate availability, exposure during low tide and water depth.

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Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: All available data is presented in the cited papers.

Notes

Credit
Schoenberg, C.H.L. (Principal Investigator) Australian Institute of Marine Science, and Carl von Ossietzky University Oldengurg, Germany.

Modified: 18 09 2026

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text: westlimit=146.48945689201358; southlimit=-18.59923250631276; eastlimit=146.48945689201358; northlimit=-18.59923250631276

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oceans |

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Other Information

Small-scale distribution of Great Barrier Reef bioeroding sponges in shallow water: Schoenberg CHL (2001) Small-scale distribution of Great Barrier Reef bioeroding sponges in shallow water. Ophelia 55: 39-54.

local : articleId=8776

Is Sponge Bioerosion Increasing?: Schoenberg CHL and Ortiz JC (2010) Is Sponge Bioerosion Increasing?. pp. 520-524. Riegl B and Dodge R 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Fort Lauderdale, July 7-11, 2008. National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University

local : articleId=8443

Identifiers

global : 0bd6ebaf-f978-45c9-b351-639e1b84f06c