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Sponges and their role in the marine environment

Year of publication 2017

Pages 2p.

Author FAO Sponges project

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

ISBN No ISBN

Series number Flyer Sponges (marine environment)

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Sponges are multicellular organisms that have porous bodies with channels, allowing water to circulate through them. Sponge dominated ecosystems are very diverse in terms of community composition and structure, the geomorphological features they inhabit and their geographical and bathymetric distributions. Sponge ecosystems are found along continental shelves, slopes, seamounts, mid-ocean ridges, canyons and deep fjords at depths from 30 to 3,000 meters. This leaflet provides an overview of the different roles Sponges may have in the marine environment and the ecosystem services they may provide.

Language English

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