Nitrogen Biogeochemistry in the Caribbean Sponge, Xestospongia muta: A Source or Sink of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen?

BACKGROUND: Sponges have long been known to be ecologically important members of the benthic fauna on coral reefs. Recently, it has been shown that sponges are also important contributors to the nitrogen biogeochemistry of coral reefs. The studies that have been done show that most sponges are net sources of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; NH(4) (+) and NO(3) (−)) and that nitrification, mediated by their symbiotic prokaryotes, is the primary process involved in supplying DIN to adjacent reefs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A natural experiment was conducted with the Caribbean sponge Xestospongia muta from three different locations (Florida Keys, USA; Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas and Little Cayman, Cayman Islands). The DIN fluxes of sponges were studied using nutrient analysis, stable isotope ratios, and isotope tracer experiments. Results showed that the fluxes of DIN were variable between locations and that X. muta can be either a source or sink of DIN. Stable isotope values of sponge and symbiotic bacterial fractions indicate that the prokaryotic community is capable of taking up both NH(4) (+) and NO(3) (−) while the differences in δ (15)N between the sponge and bacterial fractions from the NH(4) (+) tracer experiment suggest that there is translocation of labeled N from the symbiotic bacteria to the host. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Nitrogen cycling in X. muta appears to be more complex than previous studies have shown and our results suggest that anaerobic processes such as denitrification or anammox occur in these sponges in addition to aerobic nitrification. Furthermore, the metabolism of this sponge and its prokaryotic symbionts may have a significant impact on the nitrogen biogeochemistry on Caribbean coral reefs by releasing large amounts of DIN, including higher NH(4) (+) concentrations that previously reported.