海绵动物是寒武纪海洋底表生物群落的主要类群，可作为研究寒武纪海洋生物与生态环境演化的重要例证之一。贵州东部寒武系第4阶杷榔组保存有大量精美的海绵化石，以海绵体为主，部分为分散的骨针。本项目以杷榔组中海绵化石为研究对象，依据整体形态与骨针特征，开展系统分类学研究，查明海绵群落的组合面貌。在分类鉴定的基础上，对海绵体化石的标本高度和数量进行测量和统计，进而分析不同高度层次的海绵动物的多样性和丰度，探讨杷榔组海绵群落的营养结构特征，以及与类群组成和生态环境背景等因素的联系。由于至今全球对寒武纪第4期海绵动物缺乏研究，因此对该时期海绵动物的系统古生物学和群落营养结构等知之甚少。在此背景下，以杷榔组的海绵动物为研究对象，开展以上研究，将增添对第4期海绵动物属种分异和多样性的认识，揭示相关类群的系统演化关系，以及有望解析寒武纪海绵动物群落系统的复杂性和阶段性演化过程。

Sponges are one of the largest components of Cambrian benthic marine communities and thus are critical for understanding the ecological evolution of organisms during the Cambrian. Many sponge fossils have been discovered from the Cambrian (Stage 4) Balang Formation of East Guizhou and the sponge assemblage is dominated by fully articulated skeletons, together with partly disarticulated remains. This project will carry out a study on these sponge fossils. First, a comprehensive classification of these sponge fossils will be conducted based on their morphological and spicule characters, which will help us to understand the palaeocommunity composition. Second, on the basis of systematic classification and the measurements (or estimations) of heights of articulated sponge specimens, the tiering of sponge community will be elucidated, and the diversity and abundance of sponges occurring in tiering levels will be analysed. Finally, in comparison with other major Cambrian sponge communities, the probable relationships between ecological environment and the tiering structure in the Balang sponge community will be discussed. Due to lack of fossil record, there is limited understanding of the systematic palaeontology and tiering of the Cambrian (Stage 4) sponges. So, the sponge assemblage from the Balang Fauna may not only provide an alternative opportunity to explore species abundance and ecological complex of sponge communities during the Stage 4, but also contribute significantly to our understanding of the species diversification and community evolution of Cambrian sponges.