A simple radiocarbon dating method for determining the age and growth rate of deep-sea sponges

Abstract

The ability to reliably age siliceous sponges is explored using radiocarbon dating of several hexactinellid sponge specimens including Rossella racovitzae racovitzae Topsent, 1901 (C. Hexactinellida: O. Lyssacinosida: F. Rossellidae), collected from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. The optimal pretreatment was found to consist of both sequential acid digestion and pre-roasting at temperatures >400 °C. Subsequent combustion at 900 °C liberated the proteinaceous material within the spicule matrix and once the reservoir age of the surrounding water was accounted for, a linear extension rate was calculated to be around 2.9 mm yr-1, aging the sponge at ∼440 years old. Show more