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Oscula Study of a Sponge Essay

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All the sponge parameters measured in our study in between the two discrete depth zones revealed a clear statistical difference and consistently higher values for the shallow location except from the sponge surface area (Median shallow,deep = 85, 152 cm2, respectively) and oscular number per sponge area (Median shallow,deep = 0.04, 024 cm2 respectively). Similar to our study of turbidity in the previous section the parameters given above for the deeper zone was higher for the sponges with lesser pumping rates, but this difference observed to be eminent for the depth comparison (Table 4). The comparative study of shallow and deep locations at the two pristine sites of southern side of Bodrum Peninsula showed that there is a high chance of …show more content…

The most efficient sponge patch at the deep site processed 0.166 cm3 cm-2 s-1 amount of seawater with 23 oscula collectively pumping. These numbers clearly show that C. reniformis specimens possessing few numbered large sized osculas, pump more efficiently than sponges with many small sized oscula. This raises a question in mind; is it better to have single enormous sized oscule or many smaller sized osculas? Our analysis marks out a discrete large sized oscule provides a clear advantage on pumping efficiency to the sponges living in the wave zone, but in the meantime at a cost of maintaining a smaller sized body and perhaps less growth. The sponge specimens living in the deeper zones compensates this disadvantage by spreading through a larger surface and forming many oscular openings.

The shallow pristine site, Meteor Bay is generally protected from wave action, but there are regular storm events throughout the year. Absence of oceanic water currents leaves wave action as the major source of mixing and water movement. A possible advantage for C. reniformis specimens to acquire larger sized oscules might be described with the need of catching desired food particles in a water movement zone affected by wave action. Continuous oscillation of particles in a wave action could make it harder to catch desired particles for a

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