SMART (Sponge Microbiome’s Adaptation and Resilience to Thermal stress)

Marine sponges, the multicellular and sessile with associated microbes constituting 40% of their biomass, are vital in marine ecosystems for habitat creation, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, biodiversity support, and water filtration.

This project investigates how associated microbes enable sponges, particularly the blue icing sponge Lendenfeldia chondrodes, to adapt to heat stress.

By studying microbial communities, we explore their influence on sponge resilience, survival, and recovery from high-temperature conditions. The findings contribute to global climate change understanding.

The findings could contribute to the European Union's commitment to safeguarding marine biodiversity and ecosystems, ensuring long-term resilience and sustainability.

Unravelling the roles of microbes in sponge adaptation holds broader societal implications, including improved ecosystem management, conservation strategies, and the development of early warning systems for monitoring environmental stress.

While previous studies have explored microbial associations in sponges under stressful conditions, the specific focus on the adaptation of ""Blue icing sponges"" to heat stress and their potential as early indicators remains unexplored.

The interdisciplinary nature of the project, combining molecular biology, omics studies (metagenomics and metatranscriptomics), ecology, and bioinformatics, promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing across disciplines.

Economically and technologically, identifying microbial indicators of environmental stress can facilitate the establishment of early warning systems and monitoring protocols, leading to more efficient conservation efforts and reduced costs associated with ecosystem degradation.

Societally, the outcomes of this research can influence policies and decision-making related to marine conservation and climate change mitigation. The project will also support professional development through knowledge dissemination and research publication