Giant barrel sponges that can live for thousands of years have proliferated in the waters around the Florida Keys, the apparent winner in a recent battle for dominance among corals, seaweed and sponges. That’s a good thing, according to researchers wrapping up a 10-day stint at the Aquarius Underwater Laboratory off Key Largo on Wednesday, because the sponges filter the water and provide a habitat for valued fish species. Corals have been in decline for decades along the reef tracts of the Caribbean and the Florida Keys for a variety of reasons, leaving free space for sponges and macroalgae — seaweed — to move in. Barrel sponges are hollow and come in a range of colors including red and purple.

Sutton, J. (2010, August 27-28). Sponges beat seaweed in battle for Florida reefs. BusinessWorld, p. S3/8.