Sponges

Sponges are the most conspicuous sessile macroinvertebrate species found on the hardbottom habitats of the bay. Much like the hardbottom habitats themselves, sponges provide many ecosystem services, including the stabilization of substrate through binding reef-associated sediment, rubble, and other sessile macroinvertebrates including corals. Also, they act as hosts for diverse symbionts including microorganisms which add to primary production and by filtering huge quanitites of seawater and extracting suspended micro-particles and microorganisms.