Andia Chaves-Fonnegra, Ph.D., an associate professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, has received a five-year grant totaling $720,446 from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project will use genetic techniques to restore sponge populations in Florida Bay.
Florida Bay is located between mainland Florida and the Florida Keys and is part of Everglades National Park. It supports various marine species, including sponges, fish, and spiny lobster.
This initiative represents the first genetic assessment of sponge restoration in the area. It aims to increase long-term ecological resilience in a region considered vulnerable to environmental changes.
Sponges play several important roles in these marine environments. They filter water, recycle nutrients like nitrogen, stabilize sediments on the seafloor, and provide habitats for other species. Spiny lobsters rely on areas with abundant sponges as nursery grounds. The decline of sponge communities has negatively affected both sponge and lobster fisheries as well as ecosystem services provided by sponges.
Restoration efforts over the past decade have used asexual cuttings to transplant sponges back into damaged areas. While this approach has helped reestablish sponge cover after events such as disease outbreaks and cold-water incidents, it produces clonal populations that lack genetic diversity. This limits their ability to adapt to changing conditions.
Chaves-Fonnegra’s team will address this by integrating population genetics into restoration strategies. The research will focus on four key sponge species: Spongia Barbara (bath sponge), Spongia graminea (grass sponge), Ircinia campana (vase sponge), and Spheciospongia vesparium (loggerhead sponge). Using tools like microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms, researchers will assess genetic diversity, levels of inbreeding, clonality, and reproductive success among restored populations.
The project also includes monitoring larval recruits grown at FAU Harbor Branch’s land-based nursery before they are transplanted into restoration sites. Geographic information system mapping will help determine optimal locations for transplants to maximize ecological benefits.
“Receiving this EPA grant is incredibly significant because it means that we can move from simply rebuilding sponge numbers to restoring sponge populations with the genetic strength to withstand a shifting climate, disease, and other growing threats,” said Chaves-Fonnegra. “For the region, that means more stable fisheries, healthier reef ecosystems, clearer waters, and a safeguard for communities and businesses that depend on a thriving Florida Bay. It’s not just science – it’s an investment in resilience, for our ecosystems and for our people.”
Florida’s coral reef ecosystems—including reefs and hard-bottom habitats—contribute over $1 billion annually through tourism and recreation activities; reef-related fishing alone generates more than $150 million in sales each year while supporting tens of thousands of jobs statewide.
The findings from this research are expected to directly inform ongoing restoration work led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as well as support Goal 5 of the EPA’s Strategic Plan related to ecosystem protection.
Through this project, Florida Atlantic University is contributing scientific knowledge intended to improve conservation strategies for one of Florida’s most valuable natural resources.
