Symbiosis in the Sea: Studying Relationships between Marine Sponges and Marine Microbes

Dr. Jeremy Weisz (associate professor of biology at Linfield College) shares his recent work on Florida sponges, especially the bioeroding sponge Cliona varians, and their unique symbioses with microbes. He discusses how sponges enter into mutualistic interactions with bacteria and algae to reduce their need to filter feed. Weisz shares how Cliona sponges use these symbiotic interactions to erode the coral reef in ways that are both harmful and beneficial to the reef.