Investigating the importance, diversity and host specificity of photosynthetic symbionts in marine sponges from tropical and temperate regions

Algae and cyanobacteria form symbioses with many marine sponges, converting energy from the sun to donate to their host, and promoting sponge survival, growth and reproduction. These little-studied symbioses are similar to those between algae and coral, and make a significant contribution to the health of reefs in both tropical and temperate regions. This project will investigate the importance of photosynthetic symbionts in sponges in temperate and tropical regions, their host specificity and diversity. It will map photosynthetic symbiont biogeography and environmental preferences, contributing to an understanding of processes affecting the ecology of coastal reefs.