MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 309:131-142 (2006) - doi:10.3354/meps309131 Sponge beta diversity in the Spermonde Archipelago, SW Sulawesi, Indonesia Nicole J. de Voogd1,2,*, Daniel F. R. Cleary1,2, Bert W. Hoeksema2, Alfian Noor3, Rob W. M. van Soest1 1Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (Zoological Museum), University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94766, 1090 GT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis, PO Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands 3Hasanuddin University, Kampus Tamalanrea, Makassar 90245, SulSel, Indonesia *Email: voogd@naturalis.nl ABSTRACT: Sponge assemblages were investigated in the Spermonde Archipelago, southwestern Sulawesi, Indonesia. In this study spatial patterns of sponge similarity among sites were significantly related to remotely sensed environmental variables, the degree of human settlement and depth, but not to the distance between sites. Both oviparous and viviparous species groups responded to similar environmental constraints, and differences in similarity were unrelated to the distance between sites. The degree of human settlement, however, was significantly related to variation in the composition of viviparous, but not oviparous species. Our results demonstrate, most importantly, the utility of remotely sensed data in predicting the spatial turnover of diverse species assemblages such as sponges. Secondly, they show that patterns of human settlement in the Spermonde Archipelago appear to be affecting patterns of sponge beta diversity. These results highlight the need to assess and protect marine areas in biodiversity hotspots such as Indonesia. KEY WORDS: Biodiversity · Indonesia · Porifera · Similarity · Spatial Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 309. Online publication date: March 15, 2006 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2006 Inter-Research.