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Marine & Wildlife
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Species-specific impact of microplastics on coral physiology
Environmental Pollution2020
80 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Freija Mendrik
Catherine Waller,
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Catherine Waller,
Heidi L. Burdett,
Theodore B. Henry,
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Christopher Hackney,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Freija Mendrik
Christopher Hackney,
Theodore B. Henry,
Christopher Hackney,
Theodore B. Henry,
Christopher Hackney,
Christopher Hackney,
Catherine Waller,
Theodore B. Henry,
Catherine Waller,
Christopher Hackney,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Christopher Hackney,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Christopher Hackney,
Christopher Hackney,
Christopher Hackney,
Theodore B. Henry,
Christopher Hackney,
Theodore B. Henry,
Christopher Hackney,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Theodore B. Henry,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Christopher Hackney,
Heidi L. Burdett,
Christopher Hackney,
Christopher Hackney,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Freija Mendrik
Freija Mendrik
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Christopher Hackney,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Christopher Hackney,
Christopher Hackney,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Christopher Hackney,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Christopher Hackney,
Christopher Hackney,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Catherine Waller,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Sebastian Hennige,
Sebastian Hennige,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Catherine Waller,
Sebastian Hennige,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Theodore B. Henry,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Theodore B. Henry,
Theodore B. Henry,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Theodore B. Henry,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Catherine Waller,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Theodore B. Henry,
Catherine Waller,
Catherine Waller,
Theodore B. Henry,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Sebastian Hennige,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Theodore B. Henry,
Catherine Waller,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Catherine Waller,
Freija Mendrik
Summary
Short-term experiments with two coral species (Acropora sp. and Seriatopora hystrix) exposed to microspheres and microfibres at in-situ concentrations and elevated temperature found species-specific physiological responses, with some coral species more sensitive to microplastic exposure than others.
Study Type
Environmental
There is evidence that microplastic (MP) pollution can negatively influence coral health; however, mechanisms are unknown and most studies have used MP exposure concentrations that are considerably higher than current environmental conditions. Furthermore, whether MP exposure influences coral susceptibility to other stressors such as ocean warming is unknown. Our objective was to determine the physiology response of corals exposed to MP concentrations that have been observed in-situ at ambient and elevated temperature that replicates ocean warming. Here, two sets of short-term experiments were conducted at ambient and elevated temperature, exposing the corals Acroporasp. and Seriatopora hystrix to microspheres and microfibres. Throughout the experiments, gross photosynthesis and net respiration was quantified using a 4-chamber coral respirometer, and photosynthetic yields of photosystem II were measured using Pulse-Amplitude Modulated (PAM) fluorometry. Results indicate the effect of MP exposure is dependent on MP type, coral species, and temperature. MP fibres (but not spheres) reduced photosynthetic capability of Acropora sp., with a 41% decrease in photochemical efficiency at ambient temperature over 12 days. No additional stress response was observed at elevated temperature; photosynthetic performance significantly increased in Seriatopora hystrix exposed to MP spheres. These findings show that a disruption to coral photosynthetic ability can occur at MP concentrations that have been observed in the marine environment and that MP pollution impact on corals remains an important aspect for further research.