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First published online November 10, 2003

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The Journal of Experimental Biology 206, 4533-4538 (2003)
doi: 10.1242/jeb.00698

Heterotrophy on ultraplankton communities is an important source of nitrogen for a sponge–rhodophyte symbiosis

Adele J. Pile^1,2,*, Adrienne Grant², Rosalind Hinde² and Michael A. Borowitzka³

¹ School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
² School of Biological Sciences (A08), University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
³ School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: apile{at}bio.usyd.edu.au)

Accepted 1 September 2003

Grazing on ultraplankton by the sponge partner of an invertebrate/algal symbiotic association can provide enough particulate organic nitrogen to support the nitrogen needs of both partners. The previously unknown natural diet of the sponge in the Haliclona–Ceratodictyon association consists of bacteria and protozoans, which are rich sources of nitrogen. Retention of ultraplankton varied with season and time of day. During the winter there was an order of magnitude more nitrogen taken up than in summer. Time of day during each season also affected the amount of ultraplankton retained. In summer retention was higher at night whereas the opposite was true during winter. Overall, the Haliclona–Ceratodictyon association is able to meet its metabolic nitrogen demands through grazing on the naturally occurring water column community.

Key words: coral reef, heterotrophy, rhodophyte, sponge, symbiosis, ultraplankton, nitrogen

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