EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Sponges are simple invertebrate animals that live in aquatic habitats. Although the majority of sponges are marine, some species live in freshwater lakes and streams. They are found in shallow ocean environments to depths as great as five kilometers (km).

Detailed explanation-2: -Freshwater sponges grow on sturdy submerged objects in clean streams, lakes, and rivers. Because they are sensitive to water conditions, their presence indicates high water quality and low levels of pollutants.

Detailed explanation-3: -While most sponges are found in the ocean, numerous species are also found in fresh water and estuaries.

Detailed explanation-4: -Approximately 150 species of freshwater sponges are found throughout the United States, usually in clear, shallow waters of ponds, lakes, and slow-moving stream backwaters. Several sponge species exist in Montana, including Spongilla lacustris (shown above).

Detailed explanation-5: -The vast majority of sponges are marine (though there are approximately 150 species found in freshwater environments) and they inhabit depths from the intertidal zone of shallow, shelf seas to the lower continental slope / abyssal plain transition (depth approx. 3000m) of the deep sea.