Sponge Update

From October, 1995 (Update #25)

Much has been made recently about the relationship between zebra mussels and sponges. A Canadian zebra mussel specialist now speculates that zebra mussel filtration may, indeed, be the key to enhancing sponge growth. Considering the phenomenon in a soon-to-be-published issue of Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, McGill University researcher Anthony Ricciardi said that "near the end of the paper, I speculated that sponge growth may be enhanced by zebra mussel filtration activity in lakes that support dense zebra mussel populations. "Since sponges are limited by siltation and benefit from algal symbionts," Ricciardi said, "increased water clarity due to mussel filtration may enhance sponge growth. Also, since sponges selectively feed on bacteria-sized particles (and expend energy removing larger particles from their pores and canals) zebra mussel filtration may benefit sponge growth by clearing the water column of a large portion of the particles that would be rejected by sponges. Suspended bacteria locally associated with mussel fecal deposits may also nourish sponges.".

ID: 199510-6.

The Zebra Mussel Update was a 4- to 8-page quarterly national newsletter published by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute from May 1990 through May 1997. The ZMU documented the spread of the zebra mussel -- an exotic nuisance mussel -- through North America's freshwater environments, especially the Great Lakes, and on efforts to control it.