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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Stressed out in a changed world: investigating the strength of the temperate coral response to acute and chronic anthropogenic stress
ClearExposure 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.
Microplastic exposure under future oceanic conditions further threatens an endangered coral, Acropora cervicornis
Researchers exposed the threatened Caribbean coral Acropora cervicornis to microplastics under predicted future ocean conditions (acidification and warming) and found that combined stressors were more damaging than individual stressors. Growth rates declined and photosynthetic efficiency dropped most under the combined microplastic plus ocean warming and acidification treatment.
Exposure 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.
Interactive effects of microplastic pollution and heat stress on reef-building corals
This study tested the combined effects of microplastic exposure and heat stress on reef-building corals, finding that the combination caused more damage than either stressor alone. As climate change raises ocean temperatures, the simultaneous pressure from plastic pollution may accelerate coral reef decline.
Acute microplastic exposure raises stress response and suppresses detoxification and immune capacities in the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis
Researchers exposed the reef-building coral Pocillopora damicornis to microplastics and found elevated stress responses along with suppressed immune and cellular defense capacities. The study suggests that microplastic pollution could compromise coral health by overwhelming stress pathways while simultaneously weakening the organisms' ability to cope with other environmental threats.
Interactive effects of microplastic pollution and heat stress on reef-building corals
Researchers tested the combined effects of microplastic pollution and heat stress on five reef-building coral species in controlled laboratory experiments. They found that while heat stress caused significant bleaching, tissue death, and reduced photosynthetic efficiency, microplastics alone had only minor effects at ambient temperatures, suggesting that climate change remains a far greater threat to coral reefs than microplastic pollution.
Physical and cellular impact of environmentally relevant microplastic exposure on thermally challenged Pocillopora damicornis (Cnidaria, Scleractinia)
Corals exposed to microplastics at levels currently found in the ocean showed more cellular damage when also stressed by warm water temperatures. The microplastics triggered inflammation-like responses and slowed down tissue repair in the corals. This matters because coral reefs are already under severe pressure from climate change, and microplastic pollution appears to make their situation worse.
Winter and Summer Variations in the Physiological Parameters of Two Scleractinian Corals in Sanya Bay
Not a microplastics paper — this study examines seasonal changes in the physiology of two coral species in Sanya Bay, China, finding that summer high temperatures and low salinity stress their symbiotic algae and trigger oxidative responses in the corals.
Heterotrophic feeding modulates the effects of microplastic on corals, but not when combined with heat stress
Researchers tested whether providing extra food to corals could help them cope with microplastic pollution and heat stress. While supplemental feeding did offset some negative effects of microplastics alone, it could not protect corals when microplastics were combined with elevated temperatures. The study suggests that during marine heatwaves, corals face compounding stressors that feeding alone cannot overcome.
Microplastics ingestion and heterotrophy in thermally stressed corals
Researchers exposed two coral species to ambient and elevated temperatures and then fed them microplastics, Artemia nauplii, or both, finding that thermal stress significantly reduced feeding on prey but did not decrease microplastic ingestion. Notably, one species only ingested microplastics when live food was simultaneously present, suggesting incidental rather than selective uptake and highlighting species-level variability in microplastic risk under climate change.
Chronic effects of exposure to polyethylene microplastics may be mitigated at the expense of growth and photosynthesis in reef-building corals
This study assessed the chronic effects of polyethylene microplastic exposure on reef-building corals, finding evidence that long-term exposure may be partially mitigated by corals at the cost of reduced growth and photosynthetic efficiency. The findings suggest corals can acclimate but at a significant physiological price.
Effects of acute microplastic exposure on physiological parameters in Tubastrea aurea corals
Researchers exposed the coral species Tubastrea aurea to acute concentrations of PVC microplastics and measured physiological responses. They found that microplastic exposure triggered stress responses including changes in protein content, oxidative stress markers, and energy metabolism in the corals. The study provides early evidence that microplastics can disrupt the physiology of azooxanthellate corals, which lack symbiotic algae and rely entirely on particle feeding.
Oxidative stress and histological alterations in coral Briareum violacea co-exposed to ocean acidification and microplastic stressors
Researchers exposed the coral Briareum violacea to combined ocean acidification and polyethylene microplastics for 21 days. The study found that the combination of lower pH and microplastic exposure caused greater oxidative stress and tissue damage than either stressor alone, suggesting that these two major environmental threats may have compounding effects on coral health.
Do microplastics, Vibrio bacteria, and warming water temperatures impact the health and physiology of the Northern Star Coral, Astrangia poculata?
Researchers exposed a temperate coral species to microplastics, microplastics coated with disease-causing Vibrio bacteria, and warming water temperatures to study their combined effects. They found that while microplastics alone had minimal impact, the combination of microplastics with bacteria and higher temperatures caused measurable stress on coral health and respiration. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may pose greater risks to coral when acting alongside other environmental stressors like warming oceans and bacterial exposure.
Oysters under anthropogenic pressure: A cellular perspective on the interactive effects of microplastic pollution and climate change
Researchers exposed oysters to microplastics under combined conditions of elevated temperature and ocean acidification, finding that climate change stressors significantly altered the cellular response to MP pollution. Temperature had a stronger effect than acidification, and combined stressors produced non-additive interactions in immune and oxidative stress markers.
Microplastics impair growth in two atlantic scleractinian coral species, Pseudodiploria clivosa and Acropora cervicornis
Researchers tested the effects of microplastic exposure on two Atlantic coral species and found that both ingested microplastic particles, with retention times varying by particle size. During a 12-week chronic exposure, both coral species showed significantly impaired growth compared to controls. The study provides evidence that microplastics represent an additional stressor for already-threatened reef-building corals.
Physiological stress response of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata exposed to polyethylene microplastics
Researchers exposed the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata to polyethylene microplastics at varying concentrations, finding that high concentrations reduced photosynthetic efficiency in coral symbionts and disrupted polar metabolites, indicating physiological stress from microplastic exposure.
High Heterotrophic Plasticity of Massive Coral Porites pukoensis Contributes to Its Tolerance to Bioaccumulated Microplastics
This study found that massive coral Porites pukoensis responds to microplastic exposure by increasing heterotrophic feeding and shifting energetic metabolism, suggesting high metabolic plasticity helps this coral tolerate microplastic bioaccumulation in reef environments.
The effect of climate change and microplastics on the physiology of marine invertebrates of economic interest
This thesis examines how climate change and microplastic pollution interact to affect the physiology of marine invertebrates important for aquaculture. Combined stressors were found to have compounding effects on organisms like mussels and oysters, threatening both ecosystems and food security.
Common types of microdebris affect the physiology of reef-building corals
Researchers tested how several common types of microdebris, including microplastic fibers, fragments, and other small particles, affect reef-building corals. They found that exposure to mixed debris types caused greater stress responses in the corals than single-polymer exposures typically used in lab studies. The findings suggest that real-world microdebris pollution, which involves multiple materials at once, may be more harmful to coral reef health than previous single-material experiments have indicated.
Unraveling the role of heterotrophic feeding in coral tolerance to ocean warming and microplastic pollution
This PhD thesis investigated whether heterotrophic feeding—capturing zooplankton as a secondary energy source—helps corals tolerate ocean warming and microplastic pollution, assessing whether this feeding pathway can compensate for energy deficits when symbiotic algae are lost during bleaching.
Effects of Microplastics Exposure on the Acropora sp. Antioxidant, Immunization and Energy Metabolism Enzyme Activities
Researchers exposed Acropora coral fragments to microplastics and measured antioxidant enzyme activity, immune markers, and energy metabolism enzymes, finding that MP exposure elevated oxidative stress and suppressed immune function, with effects worsening at higher concentrations.
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.
Species-specific impact of microplastics on coral physiology
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.