In a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers have shown that sponges can modify their microbiome in response to changes in their environment. The team found that when the sponges were exposed to different temperature and light conditions, they could alter their microbiome in order to maintain homeostasis in the surrounding environment. The researchers observed that the sponges were able to modify their microbiome by changing the composition of bacteria, which was reflected in their metabolic activity. This demonstrates that sponges are capable of making extensive modifications to their microbiome in order to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This study is the first to show that sponges are able to adapt to their environment by modifying their microbiome, and it highlights the importance of understanding the role of microbial communities in the ecology of marine invertebrates.

Read Full Article Here

source: Phys.org