Description: In the deep ocean symbioses between microbes and invertebrates are emerging as key drivers of ecosystem health and services. We present a large-scale analysis of microbial diversity in deep-sea sponges (Porifera) from scales of sponge individuals to ocean basins, covering 52 locations, 1077 host individuals translating into 169 sponge species (including understudied glass sponges), and 469 reference samples, collected anew during 21 ship-based expeditions. We demonstrate the impacts of the sponge microbial abundance status, geographic distance, sponge phylogeny, and the physical-biogeochemical environment as drivers of microbiome composition, in descending order of relevance. Our study further discloses that fundamental concepts of sponge microbiology apply robustly to sponges from the deep-sea across distances of 〉10,000 km. Deep-sea sponge microbiomes are less complex, yet more heterogeneous, than their shallow-water counterparts. Our analysis underscores the uniqueness of each deep-sea sponge ground based on which we provide critical knowledge for conservation of these vulnerable ecosystems.

Description: This dataset provides amplicon sequence variant (ASV) counts of Antarctic deep-water sponges (Demospongiae and Hexactinellida), bottom water samples and sediment collected for microbiome analysis during expeditions PS96 (RV Polarstern, 2015/16) and JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018) in the Weddell Sea. The microbiome analysis targeted bacteria and was based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3-V4 variable regions. Sequences were processed using the QIIME2 environment. Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were generated with the DADA2 algorithm. The table gives the feature IDs (unique identifier for each ASV), the counts for each ASV in each sample, and total counts for each ASV. The first line includes the sample IDs for sponge, seawater, and sediment samples. Sample IDs for sponges are composed of abbreviations for sponge species: Anoxycalyx joubini (Aj), Inflatella belli (Ib), Isodictya lankesteri (Il), Rossella fibulata (Rf), Rossella nuda (Rn), Rossella racovitzae (Rr), Rossella vanhoeffeni (Rv), Tentorium semisuberites (Ts), and the field ID of each specimen. Sample IDs for seawater (sw) and sediment (sed) indicate the respective station.

Description: This dataset provides metadata of Antarctic deep-water sponges (Demospongiae and Hexactinellida) and sediment collected for microbiome analysis during expeditions PS96 (RV Polarstern, 2015/16) and JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018) in the Weddell Sea. It includes information on sampling locations, number of bacterial sequences and amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), NCBI accession numbers for raw sequencing data, and SMF collection numbers for the sponges archived in the collection of Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Description: This dataset provides metadata of bottom water samples collected for microbiome analysis during expeditions PS96 (RV Polarstern, 2015/16) and JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018) in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, as well as environmental data of the respective stations. It includes information on sampling locations, number of bacterial sequences and amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), and NCBI accession numbers for raw sequencing data. Environmental data of PS96 stations were obtained from: Schröder, Michael; Ryan, Svenja; Wisotzki, Andreas (2016): Physical oceanography measured on water bottle samples during POLARSTERN cruise PS96 (ANT-XXXI/2 FROSN). Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.859035

Description: This image dataset provides photographs of Antarctic deep-water sponges (Demospongiae and Hexactinellida) shortly after collection for microbiome study during expeditions PS96 (RV Polarstern, 2015/16) and JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018) in the Weddell Sea. Image files are labeled with expedition, station, sample ID, and SMF collection number. Subsamples of all sponges have been archived in the Senckenberg Museum's collection, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Description: This dataset provides relative abundances of microbial phyla in Antarctic deep-water sponges (Demospongiae and Hexactinellida), bottom water samples and sediment collected for microbiome analysis during expeditions PS96 (RV Polarstern, 2015/16) and JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018) in the Weddell Sea. The microbiome analysis targeted bacteria and was based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3-V4 variable regions. Sequences were processed using the QIIME2 environment. Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were generated with the DADA2 algorithm and classified based on the Silva 132 99% OTUs 16S database. The first column of the table gives the observed microbial phyla; the following columns give the relative abundances of each phylum in each sample (as fraction). The first line includes the sample IDs for sponge, seawater, and sediment samples. Sample IDs for sponges are composed of abbreviations for sponge species: Anoxycalyx joubini (Aj), Inflatella belli (Ib), Isodictya lankesteri (Il), Rossella fibulata (Rf), Rossella nuda (Rn), Rossella racovitzae (Rr), Rossella vanhoeffeni (Rv), Tentorium semisuberites (Ts), and the field ID of each specimen. Sample IDs for seawater (sw) and sediment (sed) indicate the respective station.

Description: This image dataset provides histological micrographs of Antarctic deep-water sponges (Demospongiae and Hexactinellida) collected for study of microbial symbionts and histology during expedition JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018) in Prince Gustav Channel, western Weddell Sea. Histological sections of 7-30 µm were stained in Hematoxylin/Eosin and images were captured on a Zeiss Axioskop 2 plus with a QiCam camera using Northern Eclipse software. Image files are labeled with expedition, station, sample ID, and magnification. Three images of a calibration scale at 10x, 20x, and 40x magnification are included (see Further details link). To derive the scale for an image, open both the image and the corresponding calibration scale of the same magnification in e.g. ImageJ or Photoshop and draw a line across the calibration. Then pull that line over to the image as a layer. Each smallest mark equals 10 micrometers.

Description: This image dataset provides histological micrographs of Antarctic deep-water sponges (Demospongiae and Hexactinellida) collected for study of microbial symbionts and histology during expedition JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018) in Prince Gustav Channel, western Weddell Sea. Histological sections of 7-30 µm were stained in Masson's trichrome and images were captured on a Zeiss Axioskop 2 plus with a QiCam camera using Northern Eclipse software. Image files are labeled with expedition, station, sample ID, and magnification. Masson's trichrome highlights collagen in blue (especially spongin). Three images of a calibration scale at 10x, 20x, and 40x magnification are included (see Further details link). To derive the scale for an image, open both the image and the corresponding calibration scale of the same magnification in e.g. ImageJ or Photoshop and draw a line across the calibration. Then pull that line over to the image as a layer. Each smallest mark equals 10 micrometers.

Description: Sponges (Porifera) host diverse and species-specific communities of microbial symbionts with which they maintain tight interactions. However, knowledge on the microbiomes of sponges from deep waters and remote polar areas is still scarce, especially for the sponge class Hexactinellida. Therefore, our aim was to describe the community composition, richness and density of microbial symbionts of Antarctic deep-water sponges, including several species of hexactinellids, and relate the findings to host ultrastructure and histology. During the Antarctic expeditions PS96 (RV Polarstern, 2015/16, eastern Weddell Sea) and JR17003a (RRS James Clark Ross, 2018, western Weddell Sea), 28 sponge specimens, bottom water and sediment were sampled for molecular analysis of microbial communities. The sponges were collected from deep habitats of 290-845 m by Bottom Trawl or Agassiz Trawl and comprised 19 hexactinellids and 9 demosponges. Bottom water was collected with a CTD rosette sampler which also measured environmental data (temperature, salinity, oxygen) close to the start or end point of the trawls and at four additional stations. Sediment was collected from the Agassiz trawl together with sponge samples during JR17003a. The molecular microbiome analysis targeted bacteria and was based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3-V4 variable regions. Sequences were processed using the QIIME2 environment. Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were generated with the DADA2 algorithm and classified based on the Silva 132 99% OTUs 16S database. Eight sponge specimens collected during JR17003a were further investigated microscopically for microbial symbionts, sponge histology and ultrastructure. Histological sections of 7-30 µm were stained in either Masson's trichrome or Hematoxylin/Eosin and images captured on a Zeiss Axioskop 2 plus with a QiCam camera using Northern Eclipse software. Ultrastructural sections of 60 nm were stained in uranyl acetate and lead citrate and then viewed and photographed with a Philips Morgagni transmission electron microscope equipped with a Gatan CCD camera. This Data Collection includes sampling information, environmental data, NCBI accession numbers and photographs of the analyzed sponges, data on the microbial symbiont communities (amplicon sequence variants and microbial phyla) of sponges, seawater and sediment, as well as micrographs of sponge histology and ultrastructure.

Description: Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) transects providing video footage and oceanographic CTD data of the Canadian West Coast bedrock benthos. The study sites were located in an area between Vancouver Island and the mainland coastal fjords, as well as in the vicinity of Bella Bella. further North. The ROV was launched from small boats anchored near the rocky shoreline. The transects always started at the shore and were conducted perpendicular to the coastline, following the slope of the fjord flanks downwards. We were particularly interested in the glass sponge communities, their abundance and diversity. However, the records also give a comprehensive impression of the unique local cold-water ecology. While warmer freshwater inflows (10 to 15°C) prevailed in the upper water layer (~10m), the ambient seawater conditions below this layer were relatively constant around 8°C down to several hundred meters water depth. These differences are clearly reflected in the predominant flora and fauna, with high incidence of algae near the sea surface. The colder as well as more constant conditions below are influenced by strong tidal currents and provide an excellent habitat for glass sponges, cold-water corals, sea anemones but also for many echinoderms, fish and crustaceans. The V8Sii ROV (Ocean Modules) was equipped with a High Definition (HD) video cameras (Kongsberg oe14-502) on the front. An altimeter (Tritech Micron Echo Sounder) was used to determine the distance between the camera and the object. From this distance (see ROV metadata) and the camera's angle of view of 45° horizontal and 29° vertical, the image dimensions can be derived. Lighting was provided by four LED lights (Bowtech LED- 2400 aluminum). The ROV was equipped with a compass, orientation sensor, obstacle avoidance sonar (Tritech Micron) and an Ultra Short Baseline system (Tritech USBL) to determine its exact underwater position relative to an onboard GPS position. A sled module was attached to the underside of the ROV with a CTD (SeaBird SBE19 plus) and sensors for pH, oxygen, light, fluorescence and a Doppler Velocity Logger (DVL) Teledyne RDI Instruments, Explorer PA) for bottom tracking.