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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Coral reef attributes associated with microplastic exposure
ClearResponses of reef building corals to microplastic exposure
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.
Assessment of microplastic pollution in corals, seawater, and marine sediments in the Gulf of Thailand
Researchers assessed microplastic occurrence, abundance, and characteristics in coral, seawater, and sediment samples from two reef sites in the Gulf of Thailand, detecting microplastics in all coral samples at concentrations ranging from 0.24 to 2.60 particles per gram and finding spatial variability across reef species and sites.
Reef‐building corals act as long‐term sink for microplastic
Coral reef structures were shown to act as long-term sinks for microplastics, with microplastics accumulating in reef framework interstices and sediments at higher concentrations than surrounding seawater, potentially contributing to the resolution of the missing plastic problem in ocean budgets.
Microplastics in coral from three Mascarene Islands, Western Indian Ocean
Researchers compared microplastic concentrations, morphotypes, sizes, colors, and polymer compositions across six coral genera from three remote Mascarene Islands in the western Indian Ocean over a 1200 km transect. Microplastics were detected in all coral genera across all islands, with polymer types and concentrations reflecting both local and long-range ocean transport of plastic debris.
First detection of microplastics in reef-building corals from a Maldivian atoll
Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic contamination in reef-building corals from a Maldivian atoll, examining 38 coral colonies across three species. They found that 58% of colonies contained microplastic particles in the 25-150 micrometer size range. The study provides initial evidence that even remote coral reef ecosystems in the Indian Ocean are affected by microplastic pollution, raising concerns about potential impacts on coral health.
Abundance and Characteristics of Microplastics in Coral Reefs at Penimbangan Waters
Researchers assessed microplastic abundance and characteristics in coral reef tissues and sediments at Penimbangan Beach, finding MPs in all 12 coral samples analyzed. Fiber and fragment types dominated, with polymers matching common fishing and packaging materials, reflecting local pollution inputs to the reef ecosystem.
Impact of micro-and nanoplastic contamination on reef-building corals
Researchers exposed two tropical coral species to micro- and nanoplastics of varying polymer types and assessed bleaching, symbiont loss, and tissue damage. Both species showed stress responses including reduced photosynthetic efficiency and partial bleaching, with effects varying by plastic type and size, suggesting reef-building corals are vulnerable to plastic pollution.
Contamination of microplastics in tropical coral reef ecosystems of Sri Lanka
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination across ten coral reef ecosystems in Sri Lanka, finding microplastics in corals, water, and sediments with fibers and fragments being the dominant types, representing a previously unquantified threat to tropical reef systems.
Impacts of microplastics on scleractinian corals nearshore Liuqiu Island southwestern Taiwan
Researchers found microplastics in three genera of wild corals near Liuqiu Island, Taiwan, with abundances up to 0.95 items per gram dominated by blue rayon fibers, and observed that low coral cover (12.5%) at the most tourism-impacted site corresponded with the highest microplastic concentrations in water, sediment, and coral tissue. Enrichment factors of 25-283 times above surrounding seawater indicate corals are significant accumulators of microplastics in reef environments.
Do coral reefs act as sinks for microplastics?
This review examined whether coral reefs act as sinks for microplastics, finding five mechanisms that promote microplastic accumulation including adhesion to corals, ingestion by reef organisms, trapping by reef structures, and burial in reef sediments. Despite covering less than 1% of ocean area, coral reefs disproportionately concentrate microplastics.
Species-specific microplastic enrichment characteristics of scleractinian corals from reef environment: Insights from an in-situ study at the Xisha Islands
Microplastics were detected in seawater, sediment, and three scleractinian coral species at five atolls in the Xisha Islands, with average seawater concentrations of 9.5 particles per liter and species-specific differences in microplastic enrichment patterns observed.
Abundance and Characteristics of Microplastics in Seawater and Corals From Reef Region of Sanya Bay, China
Researchers quantified microplastic abundance in seawater and coral samples from Sanya Bay, China, finding 15-22 items per liter in seawater and up to 3.6 items per coral polyp, with fibers and fragments as the predominant particle types in reef ecosystems.
Unveiling the hidden threat of microplastics to coral reefs in remote South Atlantic islands
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination of coral reefs on remote South Atlantic islands, finding widespread microplastic presence in reef environments and raising concerns about the physiological and ecological harm to coral ecosystems far from human population centers.
Relationship Between Characteristics of Marine Debris and Impact to Coral Reef
Researchers surveyed the relationship between marine debris and coral reef health across multiple sites, finding that branching corals are most commonly damaged by debris entanglement. Plastic marine debris was the most frequently found type at all sites, highlighting that coral reefs face chronic physical damage from plastic pollution.
Microplastic pollution status in the coral reef ecosystems on the Southern and Western coasts of Sri Lanka during the Southwest monsoon
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in six coral reef ecosystems along Sri Lanka's southern and western coasts during monsoon season. They found that small blue fibers were the dominant type, and that microplastic levels in corals were strongly linked to concentrations in surrounding water and sediment. The study suggests that while current contamination levels are relatively low, microplastics may still threaten coral health and warrant further monitoring.
Adhesion to coral surface as a potential sink for marine microplastics
This study found that coral surfaces can adsorb microplastic particles and act as a potential sink for marine plastics, with adhesion influenced by plastic polymer type and the biofilm coating on coral surfaces. Coral reefs may therefore not only be harmed by microplastic ingestion but also accumulate plastics from the surrounding water column.
A systematic review of microplastics in coral reef ecosystems: Abundance, distribution, toxicity, and future research directions
This systematic review examined 125 studies on microplastic pollution in coral reef ecosystems. Corals are ingesting microplastics, which can cause tissue damage, stress responses, and impaired growth. Since coral reefs support roughly 25% of all marine species and many fisheries that feed coastal communities, their contamination with microplastics has far-reaching consequences for ocean health and food security.
Microplastic Contamination across Interconnected Seagrass Meadows and Coral Reefs: Divergent Patterns and Limited Convergence
A study of interconnected seagrass and coral reef habitats found that microplastics behave quite differently in the two ecosystems despite sharing the same water: seagrass meadows acted as filters that trapped larger microplastics, while smaller particles traveled on to accumulate on coral surfaces and tissues. Coral tissues showed a surprising preference for large, dense, transparent fibers — likely because corals mistake them for food. The results demonstrate that connected ecosystems can have very different microplastic exposure profiles, with corals at particular risk from ingestion.
Common types of microdebris affect the physiology of reef-building corals
Researchers exposed two coral species to four types of microdebris — plastic fragments, synthetic clothing fibers, tire/brake wear particles, and pure microplastic beads — for eight weeks in a lab. Clothing fibers and tire wear particles caused the strongest harm, reducing calcification in one coral species and disrupting normal physiology in both. The study shows that real-world microdebris pollution, which is always a mixture of materials, can stress reef-building corals in ways that studies using single plastic types may underestimate.
Microplastics in corals: An emergent threat
A summary of recent research found that microplastics impair coral health through species-specific mechanisms including reduced growth, altered enzymatic activity, increased mucus production, disrupted coral-algae symbiosis, and bleaching — with effects observed even at concentrations below current environmental maxima.
Microplastics in the coral reefs and their potential impacts on corals: A mini-review
This mini-review summarizes the current state of microplastic pollution in coral reef ecosystems worldwide, covering abundance and distribution in seawater, sediments, and coral tissues. Researchers highlight how microplastics interact with corals through ingestion, adhesion, and tissue accumulation, potentially causing stress responses and bleaching. The study calls for more focused research on coral reef regions given the rapid increase in plastic consumption and the vulnerability of these critical ecosystems.
First evidence of microplastic contamination in the tissue and skeletons of the keystone reef-building coral Siderastrea stellata in coastal reefs
Researchers found microplastics — mostly polystyrene fibers — embedded in both the soft tissue and hard calcium carbonate skeleton of reef-building coral (Siderastrea stellata) collected from wild Atlantic reefs in Brazil. This is the first field-based evidence of microplastics lodged inside coral skeletons in the southwestern Atlantic, suggesting these critical reef habitats are long-term plastic sinks.
Exploring Microplastic Interactions with Reef-Building Corals Across Flow Conditions
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.
Assessment of microplastics contamination in selected coral species from Kuantan coastal waters off the South China Sea
Three coral species from Malaysian coastal waters contained microplastics identified by FTIR spectroscopy, with Acropora showing the highest abundance and concentrations varying between two sampling locations, confirming coral reef ecosystems as sinks for microplastic pollution.