We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Exploring Microplastic Interactions with Reef-Building Corals Across Flow Conditions
ClearUnlocking Passive Collection of Microplastics in Coral Reefs by Adhesion Measurements
Researchers measured the adhesion forces of live elegance corals and found they trap microplastics primarily through strong surface mucus adhesion rather than ingestion, with a universal removal force barrier that works regardless of plastic type.
The effect of coral colony morphology, coral surface condition, particle size, and seeding point on the trapping and deposition of microplastics
Scientists used a saltwater flume to study how different coral colony shapes trap microplastics, finding that compact branching corals caught significantly more particles than open-shaped colonies. Larger microplastics were trapped more easily than smaller ones, and the coral's living or dead status did not affect trapping rates. This research shows that coral reefs act as sinks for microplastic pollution, and certain reef types may be especially vulnerable, which matters for the coastal communities that depend on healthy reefs for food and livelihoods.
Microplastic trapping efficiency and hydrodynamics in model coral reefs: A physical experimental investigation
Researchers experimentally investigated how branching coral structures trap microplastics under different water flow speeds and canopy densities using 3D-printed model coral reefs. They found that coral canopies retained 79-98% of microplastics at higher flow velocities, compared to only 10-13% for bare surfaces, through mechanisms including particle interception and settlement on branches. The study suggests that coral reefs may act as significant accumulators of microplastic pollution, with implications for reef ecosystem health.
Responses 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.
Transport and trapping of microplastics in coral reefs: a physical experimental investigation
Researchers conducted physical experiments in a laboratory channel to study how microplastics are transported and trapped in simulated coral reef structures. Rough reef surfaces increased particle capture compared to flat beds. These findings help explain why coral reefs accumulate microplastics and inform predictions of plastic pollution impacts on biodiverse reef ecosystems.
Microplastic ingestion by coral as a function of the interaction between calyx and microplastic size
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.
Scleractinian corals incorporate microplastic particles: identification from a laboratory study
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.
Feeding responses of reef-building corals provide species- and concentration-dependent risk assessment of microplastic
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.
Transport and trapping in complex aquatic canopies: how do coral reefs act as sinks for microplastics?
Researchers investigated how coral reef canopy structures act as sinks for microplastic particles by modifying turbulence, flow, and depositional processes in coastal zones, examining physical trapping mechanisms alongside biological incorporation within coral tissue and skeletons. The study addressed the 'missing plastic' problem by exploring whether the complex three-dimensional structure of shallow reefs intercepts microplastics transported from terrestrial sources before they reach open ocean.
Passive and Active Removal of Marine Microplastics by a Mushroom Coral (Danafungia scruposa)
Researchers studied how the mushroom coral Danafungia scruposa removes microplastics from seawater through both active ingestion and passive adhesion to its surface, evaluating whether removal rates were influenced by microplastic properties and providing evidence that corals contribute to the 'missing microplastics' sink in ocean surface waters.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Predicting microplastic dynamics in coral reefs: presence, distribution, and bioavailability through field data and numerical simulation analysis
Researchers combined field sampling at Australia's Lizard Island with numerical hydrodynamic modeling to map microplastic distribution across reef habitats and assess bioavailability to corals, fish, sponges, and other species. Sediment was the dominant accumulation zone, biota contained microplastics at concentrations reflecting feeding strategies, and model simulations predicted particle trajectories within the reef system.
Microplastic attachment in the scleractinian coral Pocillopora sp. is affected by colony complexity
This study found that the structural complexity of coral colonies affects how readily microplastics stick to them, with more architecturally intricate Pocillopora corals trapping more particles. This is significant because microplastic accumulation on corals can physically and chemically stress reef ecosystems, and colony shape may determine which reefs are most at risk.
Microplastic attachment in the scleractinian coral Pocillopora sp. is affected by colony complexity
This study found that the structural complexity of coral colonies affects how readily microplastics stick to them, with more architecturally intricate Pocillopora corals trapping more particles. This is significant because microplastic accumulation on corals can physically and chemically stress reef ecosystems, and colony shape may determine which reefs are most at risk.
Colony complexity affects microplastic loads in Pocillopora corals
Researchers sampled Pocillopora corals from a reef in Hawaii to investigate how colony structural complexity affects microplastic accumulation. They found that compact, thick-branched coral morphologies trapped more microplastics than open-branched forms, likely because their structure creates stagnant water zones where particles settle. Most microplastics were found on the coral surface rather than embedded in tissue or skeleton.
Patterns, dynamics and consequences of microplastic ingestion by the temperate coral, Astrangia poculata
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.
Microplastic contamination of coral reef fish larvae of the Great Barrier Reef: baseline data and influences of oceanographic and ecological features
Researchers found microplastics in coral reef fish larvae collected from the Great Barrier Reef, with particles concentrated by the same oceanographic processes that aggregate zooplankton prey. The similarity in size between microplastics and natural prey items increases the likelihood of accidental ingestion by larvae.
Chemoreception drives plastic consumption in a hard coral
Researchers found that reef-building corals actively ingest microplastics because the plastic contains chemical attractants that mimic food, and that roughly 8% of ingested particles are retained for 24 hours or more — suggesting chemoreception-driven consumption could have real energetic and toxicological consequences for coral reefs.
The correlation between microplastics characteristics and sediment grain size to microplastics accumulation in coral reef sediment in Gede Island, Rembang, Indonesia
Researchers studied microplastic accumulation in coral reef sediments in Indonesia, finding that smaller, denser microplastic fragments — especially near coastlines with human activity — sink and penetrate sediments more readily, with particle size and shape being the strongest predictors of where microplastics end up.
Impacts of microplastics on reef-building corals: Disentangling the contribution of the chain scission products released by weathering
Researchers investigated how microplastics harm reef-building corals by separating the effects of physical contact from the chemical leachates released as plastics degrade. They found that while physical interaction with the particles caused immediate tissue damage, the chemical breakdown products from aged plastics created additional toxic effects. The study highlights that weathered microplastics pose a compound threat to coral health through both mechanical abrasion and chemical contamination.
Microplastics as a sedimentary component in reef systems: A case study from the Java Sea
Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in sediments from two tropical atoll reef platforms in Indonesia. The study found that microplastics are a component of reef sediments, with distribution patterns influenced by reef geomorphology and hydrodynamic processes, highlighting the need to better understand how microplastics accumulate in coral reef systems and their potential impacts on reef health.