Sponge ABL (special code to keep track of individual sponges tagged
during this monitoring program) was accidentally sliced by an anchor
line in Oct of 1999. Picture two shows the sponge one year later,
October 2000.
Oct. 1999 (sliced by anchor line)
Oct. 2000 (recovery after one year)
Sponge AGB (special code to keep track of individual sponges tagged
during this monitoring program) had numerous wounds that were observed
and recorded in October of 1999, but appeared completely healed 6
months later in May 2000.
Oct. 1999 (multiple wounds documented)
May 2000 (recovery after 6 months)
Sponge Bleaching and Die Off
The 2 foot tall, bleached AGX (special code to keep track of individual
sponges tagged during this monitoring program) sponge almost completely
disappeared between October 1999 and May 2000.
Oct. 1999 (bleached: note white color at top)
May 2000 (gone except for pieces at bottom)
Sponge bleaching and recovery
Shown below is a time series of sponge AFL (special code to keep track
of individual sponges tagged during this monitoring program). Notice
that the sponge is bleached in October 99, appears healed in May,
and is bleached again in October of 2000. This suggests that bleaching
is not necessarily fatal.
