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Papers
8 resultsShowing papers from Roger Williams University
ClearExposure to global change and microplastics elicits an immune response in an endangered coral
Researchers examined how the combination of ocean warming, acidification, and microplastic exposure affects the endangered coral Acropora cervicornis over 22 days. They found that while individual stressors produced subtle gene expression changes, the combined multistressor treatment triggered the strongest response, particularly in genes related to innate immunity. The study suggests that microplastics may compound the effects of climate change on coral health by activating immune stress responses.
Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating plastic
Researchers analyzed long-term data from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and found that plastic is rapidly accumulating, with the mass of floating plastic growing faster than inputs would suggest, pointing to an underestimated and worsening pollution problem.
The effect of particle properties on the depth profile of buoyant plastics in the ocean
Using sampling at multiple depths from 0 to 5 meters in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre, researchers measured how turbulent mixing redistributes buoyant microplastics below the ocean surface. The results show that surface net sampling alone significantly underestimates total microplastic concentrations, particularly in windy conditions.
Photosymbiont density is correlated with constitutive and induced immunity in the facultatively symbiotic coral, <i>Astrangia poculata</i>
Researchers investigated how photosymbiont (zooxanthellae) density in the facultatively symbiotic coral Astrangia poculata correlates with both baseline and induced immune responses, finding that symbiotic status influences immune function in ways relevant to coral resilience under environmental stress.
Addressing Microplastic Environmental Data Gaps Through Undergraduate Research
This study proposes using underwater vehicles and standardized sampling protocols to fill data gaps on microplastic distribution in undersampled aquatic environments. The approach aims to improve spatial coverage and consistency in global microplastic monitoring datasets.
Patterns, dynamics and consequences of microplastic ingestion by the temperate coral, <i>Astrangia poculata</i>
This study documented microplastic ingestion by the temperate coral Astrangia poculata in Rhode Island, finding that corals readily ingested plastic particles and retained them in their gastrovascular cavity for extended periods. The findings suggest that even non-tropical corals outside heavily polluted regions are regularly exposed to microplastics through their normal filter-feeding behavior.
The vertical distribution of buoyant plastics at sea: an observational study in the North Atlantic Gyre
Field measurements of buoyant plastic particles at multiple depths in the ocean showed that concentrations decrease sharply below a few meters, with turbulence mixing plastics downward. The data validate model predictions and confirm that surface net trawls substantially undercount total plastic in the water column.
Exposure to global change and microplastics elicits an immune response in an endangered coral
Researchers exposed an endangered coral species to combined stressors of elevated seawater temperature, reduced pH, and microplastics, finding that these global change factors together with local microplastic pollution elicit measurable immune responses, suggesting additive or synergistic stress effects on reef-building corals.