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Scleractinian corals incorporate microplastic particles: identification from a laboratory study
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Laboratory experiments demonstrated that scleractinian corals actively incorporate microplastic particles during feeding, with ingestion rates varying by particle size and polymer type, raising concerns about chronic microplastic exposure in coral reef ecosystems.
Microplastics have been detected on beaches and in the ocean from surface habitats to the deep-sea. Microplastics can be mistaken for food items by marine organisms, posing a potential risk for bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the food chain. Our understanding of microplastic pollution effects on ecosystem and physiological processes of coral reefs is still limited. This study contributes to the understanding of effects of microplastic pollution on skeletal precipitation of hermatypic corals. In a five month aquarium-based experiment, specimens of four tropical species were temporarily exposed to high concentrations (ca. 0.5 g L-1) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastic particles (< 500 μm). The coral specimens all survived this treatment and show skeletal growth. The skeletal material produced during the experiment, however, incorporated plastic particles and plastic fibres in the aragonitic structure. Long-term consequences of such inclusions on skeletal properties such as stability are yet unknown.
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Microplastic ingestion by scleractinian corals
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Researchers documented for the first time that scleractinian corals on Australia's Great Barrier Reef actively ingest microplastics from surrounding water, raising serious concerns that plastic pollution could impair the feeding and health of reef-building corals already stressed by warming oceans.
Feeding responses of reef-building corals provide species- and concentration-dependent risk assessment of microplastic
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This study quantitatively assessed how reef-building coral species feed on microplastic particles, comparing feeding responses across species and concentrations relative to natural food particles. Results showed species-specific and concentration-dependent ingestion, providing a more nuanced risk assessment framework for microplastic impacts on corals.
Exploring Microplastic Interactions with Reef-Building Corals Across Flow Conditions
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Researchers examined how reef-building corals interact with microplastics under varying flow conditions, investigating whether active ingestion or passive adhesion dominates microplastic removal and which particle types and sizes are most readily captured by coral structures.
Responses of reef building corals to microplastic exposure
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Researchers exposed six species of small-polyp stony corals to polyethylene microplastics to characterize their responses and potential health effects. They found that corals interacted with the particles through ingestion and adhesion, with responses varying by species and coral morphology. The study suggests that microplastic exposure could affect reef-building corals, which are already under stress from climate change and ocean acidification.
Microplastic ingestion by coral as a function of the interaction between calyx and microplastic size
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Researchers found that coral ingestion of microplastics is strongly influenced by the size relationship between coral calyx opening and microplastic particle size, with particles matching or slightly smaller than the calyx diameter being ingested at the highest rates, providing a mechanistic basis for assessing coral microplastic exposure.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.