Will the Increasing of Anthropogenic Pressures Reduce the Biopotential Value of Sponges?

Hedi Indra Januar,Asri Pratitis,Aditya Bramandito

doi:10.1155/2015/734385

Hedi Indra Januar, Asri Pratitis + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/734385

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Abstract

Production of bioactive compounds from marine benthic organisms is suggested to relate ecologically with environment. However, anthropogenic pressures cause a considerable damage to coral reefs environment. This research aimed to define the pattern sponges biopotential values at the increasing of anthropogenic pressures to coral reef environment. Three representative sponges were selected (Theonella sp., Hyrtios sp., and Niphates sp.) and study had been conducted in Hoga Island, Indonesia, to define the relationship between seawater variables (DO, pH, phosphate, and ammonia ions), sponges spatial competition, and their bioactivity level (Brine Shrimp Lethality Test). The study showed anthropogenic pressures affect the reef environment, as abiotic cover was increased and eutrophication was detected at the site closer to the run-off domesticated area. Statistical multivariate analyses revealed sponges spatial competition was significantly different (P < 0.05) between groups of high, moderate, and low bioactivity level. Abiotic cover was detected as the major factor (36.19%) contributed to the differences and also the most discriminant factor distinguishing sponges spatial competition in the groups of bioactivity level (93.91%). These results showed the increasing anthropogenic pressures may result in a higher abiotic area and may directly be a consequence to the lower production of bioactive compounds in sponges.

Highlights

It is generally accepted that competition for space is a major ecological reason of sponges to produce their bioactive compounds
The effect of anthropogenic pressures on coral community was already demonstrated in many laboratory and in situ experiments, there is little known about how these pressures affect the biopotential values in sponges
A group of bioactivity levels had been created for the multivariate analysis, with activity higher than 50% categorized as “high,” activity between 30% and 50% categorized as “moderate,” and activity below 30% categorized as “low.” Multivariate Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA) was used to define the pattern of bioactivity level at the spatial competition variation of each sponge

Summary

Introduction

It is generally accepted that competition for space is a major ecological reason of sponges to produce their bioactive compounds. The balances of benthic competition in healthy coral reef ecosystem have been considered to stimulate the production of certain chemical defense substances in marine benthic organism. This may mean the diversity of coral community plays an important role in the production of bioactive compounds in sponges. It is potential to find new chemical bioactive compounds from sponges in dense benthic communities, such as in the Indonesian CTI (Coral Triangle Initiative) area [6,7,8]. The diversity of coral community tends to be shifted as the anthropogenic pressures increase As a consequence, it raises a question about how this shifting affects the production of bioactive compounds in sponges. This study had been conducted in Hoga Island, one of the most interesting coral reef communities in CTI area at Wakatobi

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