Resistance vs recovery: morphological strategies of coral reef sponges

Summary 1 An inverse association between ability to regenerate and structural complexity (i.e. internal differentiation and integration), illustrated by comparisons among animal phyla, suggests a dichotomy between suites of morphological traits that promote recovery from damage vs traits that promote resistance to damage. 2 The phylum Porifera is particularly suited for exploration of relationships among regeneration, resistance to damage and complexity. Sponges are noted for their structural simplicity and great facility at regeneration, relative to members of all other animal phyla; but sponge species vary widely in ability to recover from damage, and in overall morphology and skeletal properties. 3 Morphological strategies related to resistance to damage and recovery from damage were explored using data on the amount and type of damage incurred by 576 sponge individuals representing 67 species in a major hurricane. Five weeks of monitoring each individual for continued deterioration or recovery demonstrated an inverse relationship between the extent of injuries dealt by the storm and recovery success. 4 A trade-off between morphological strategies that promote resistance to damage vs those that promote efficient recovery could result in the disproportionate and permanent loss of resistant species, as these poor recoverers are increasingly overwhelmed by multiple simultaneous challenges.

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