Everglades Ecosystems New Champion FWC
The largest of these projects is sponge restoration in Everglades Florida Bay. As recently as the 1980s, Florida Bay held the greatest concentration of sponges in North America.
Sponges
Barrel Sponge Spawning in the Florida Keys – Video
Giant barrel sponges are some of the largest animals on Florida’s coral reefs. Like corals, these giant sponges synchronize the release of eggs and sperm. Our researchers caught Barrel Sponge Spawning in the act. These barrel sponges are “broadcast spawners” because they release eggs and sperm into the water column. The fertilized eggs develop into larvae … Read more
Sponges Play Important Role in the Florida Keys Ecosystem
Anytime you snorkel or dive in the Florida Keys Ecosystem, you are almost guaranteed to see sponges. These unique creatures live just about everywhere: they live on the bottom in the seagrass beds, they attach to red mangrove roots and they grow on rocky areas at the coral reefs. They are even found living on … Read more