The results revealed that in a sponge, there are “60% more diverse members than in a well-mixed environment,” You said, referencing the compacted habitat bacteria are in when placed inside a tube.

The stable, relatively undisturbed habitat of the conservation site has probably been conducive to the sponge’s unfettered growth. “A lot of organisms in deep seas grow very slowly ...

The fragile sponge, called Vazella Pourtalesi, only exists in two other places in the world: the Gulf of Mexico and the Azores. (Canadian Coast Guard/DFO) The federal Fisheries Department says it ...