MEMORY OF AN INTERNSHIP
Jessica Bernal
2017-2018
1. SPONGES
1.1. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SPONGES?
1.1. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SPONGES?
→ Animal Kingdom (Whittakers classification).
→ Phylum Porifera (/pɒˈrɪfərə/; "pore bearer").
→ NO true tissues. NO mouth, muscles, heart or brain.
→ NO nervous system.
→ Sessile animal.
… Sponges, a living story of success!
1.2. VITAL FUNCTIONING
→ Body plan: a jelly-like layer sandwiched between two thin layers of cells.
→ Totipotency: cells that can change from one type to another.
→ Full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through them: Filtering feeders.
→ Feed on bacteria, plankton, dissolved organic matter. A few carnivores.
1 cm3 → 20 L per day
REPRODUCTION:
→ Asexual: Fragmentation, budding and by gemmules.
→ Sexual: Fertilization into the water or retention until hatching. 4 types of free larvae.
1.3. SKELETON
→ Depending on the class of sponge the skeleton can be made out of silica or calcium carbonate.
→ Silica skeleton: Spicules determine the consistency.
1.4. CLASSES
→ Mainly according to the composition of their skeletons:
- Demospongiae: Is a class that contains most of the sponges. The sponges in this class make their skeleton from spongin, a special protein. All the large sponges are in this order.
- Calcarea (bony sponges): Use calcium carbonate to make their skeleton. They are usually very small, only three to four inches in height. About 400 of known sponges are calcarea.
- Hexactinellida (glass sponges): Use silicon dioxide to make their skeletons. Most of these live very deep in the ocean. There are about 500 different kinds of glass sponges in 17 different families. These sponges make of about seven percent of all known living sponges.
→ Recent studies have shown that a group previously thought to belong to the Demospongiae family, is actually phylogenetically well separated: Homoscleromorpha.
1.5. THE ROLE OF SPONGES
From food for ones...
… To habitat for others
1.6. A QUESTION OF FORMS
More than 8,000 species, about 150 freshwater...
1.6. A QUESTION OF FORMS
All ocean basins, from tropical to artic...
1.7. MEDITERRANEAN SPONGES
→ 700 species
→ 25% endemism, rare and restricted distributed species.
1.7. MEDITERRANEAN SPONGES
From littoral ...
… To the deep sea
From rock...
...To sand
1.3. A QUESTION OF FORMS
A prosperous neighborhood
I am the real Bob!
1.7. HUMANS & SPONGES
→ Traditional trade: Bath, cleaning…
→ Recent discovery: Bioactive compounds (treatment for viral infections diseases, other infection diseases and a variety of cancers).
Result: Unregulated intensification of harvesting
1.8. OTHER THREATS
→ Epidemic diseases
→ Climate change: Acidification, raise in temperatures...
It Is key to understand the present status of sponges and prioritise those species in need to be included in adequate management plans for their conservation.
1.8. IUCN: FROM GALWAY UP TODAY.
Status of the sponges in the Mediterranean → 1st Porifera Red List Assessment.
1.8. IUCN PORIFERA RED LIST ASSESSMENT FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN.
→ About 65 species from Keratosa subclass (demospongiae) and some hexactinellida.
→ A team of 15 experts from different countries.
→ Two IUCN-Med leaders: Maria del Mar Otero & Catherine Numa.
→ One Intern, one mission → Keep assessments elaboration moving forward.
- Provision of support materials
- Continue contact with assessors and collaborators
- Updating the list contents
- Collection of relevant information
- Review of drafts
- Establish and re-establish the chronogram
→ IUCN Red List Global and Regional Assessor course and exam.
1.8. NEXT STEPS AND CHALLENGES.
Challenges ahead:
→ Number of mature individuals
→ Quantification of main threats as overharvesting
→ Generation length:
2. MedMIS
2.1. WHAT IS MEDMIS?
→ An online information system for reporting and monitoring IAS in MPAs.
2.2. THE BLACK LIST OF MARINE IAS.
→ A priority list of species with the greatest potential impact.
→ 51 species and factsheets: Key identifiying features, habitat, distribution, ecology, management options…
2.2. HOW TO REPORT A SIGHTING?
1.
2. Picture, species, location, depth range & abundance.
3. Habitat, date & comments.
2.3. IAS REPORT.
2.3. IAS REPORT.
→ All MPAs and Natura 2000 sites.
2.4. UPDATING THE MEDMIS DATABASE.
→ About 150 publications reviewed.
→ 548 reports between 2014-2018.
From 2000 up to know (2018)
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
2.5. THE WINNERS.
→ Underestimations
→ Easy to identify, venomous species or with a evident direct impact on the economy (fisheries) are the most reported.
→ Citizen science as a powerfull tool.
2.6. SOME CONSIDERATIONS.
2.7. DON’T FORGET TO CHECK THE NEWS.
THANK YOU :)