Skomer Marine Conservation Zone ( MCZ ) - Monitoring of sponge assemblages dataset https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php?tpc=007_NRW_DS101857 In 2015 Skomer Marine Nature Reserve changed designation to Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). Skomer Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) was designated in 1990. The sponge communities at Skomer MNR have been identified as rich and diverse with over 80 species. Six are nationally scarce species and eight near the limit of their distribution. Sponges are filter feeders and therefore reliant on water quality which makes them susceptible to changes in sediment deposition. They are therefore useful biotic indicators of changes in suspended sediment and surface sedimentation rates, the cause of which might include dredge spoil dumping. The purpose of this data capture was to: - monitor the sponge assemblages in the MNR; - identify natural and anthropogenic fluctuations, - identify the presence of rare, scarce and edge of range species in the MNR. 20121231