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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Reef‐building corals act as long‐term sink for microplastic
ClearPossible sink of missing ocean plastic: Accumulation patterns in reef-building corals in the Gulf of Thailand
Researchers investigated microplastic accumulation in four species of reef-building corals from the Gulf of Thailand, examining the mucus layer, tissue, and skeleton separately. They found that coral skeletons can serve as a long-term repository for microplastics, with one branching coral species accumulating the highest overall levels. The findings suggest that coral reefs may act as a significant sink for ocean microplastics, potentially helping to explain where missing ocean plastic ends up.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Microplastics in coral reef sediments underestimated? They may hide in biominerals
Standard lab methods for measuring microplastics in coral reef sediments may significantly undercount them because particles can become trapped inside calcium carbonate biominerals, which are typically ignored in processing. By adding an acid digestion step to dissolve the biominerals, this study found substantially more microplastics, suggesting current estimates of plastic contamination in reef environments are likely too low.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Plastics are a new threat to Palau’s coral reefs
Researchers detected microplastics in seawater, sediments, and beach sand around the pristine coral reef system of Palau, confirming that even remote, well-protected marine environments are not free from plastic pollution and highlighting the global reach of this contamination.
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.
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.
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.
Microplastics in Natural and Artificial Reefs
This review examines microplastic pollution in both natural and artificial reef ecosystems, summarizing how plastic particles accumulate in reef structures, affect coral and associated organisms, and interact with other stressors threatening reef health worldwide.
Coral reef attributes associated with microplastic exposure
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in ocean water and coral tissue samples from two coral species in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida, providing the first documentation of microplastics in corals from these locations. Most particles identified were cotton or polyester fibers. Surprisingly, higher microplastic levels in coral tissue were positively associated with coral density, rugosity, and percent coral cover, suggesting that microplastics may not have immediate adverse effects on reef health.
Microplastic pollution in stony coral skeletons and tissues: A case study of accumulation and interrelationship in South Penghu Marine National Park, Taiwan Strait
This case study examined microplastic accumulation in the skeletons and tissues of stony corals, finding that corals both ingest and physically incorporate plastic particles into their carbonate structures. The results indicate microplastics can become permanently embedded in coral skeletons, with potential long-term effects on reef health.
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.
The Distribution and Impact of Microplastics on Coral Reefs: an Ecosystem Approach
This study examines the distribution and ecological impact of microplastics on coral reef ecosystems, providing a Ph.D.-level ecosystem approach to understanding how microplastic pollution affects reef health and biodiversity.
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.
Occurrence And Abundance Of Microplastics In Coral Reef Sediment: A Case Study In Sekotong, Lombok-Indonesia
Microplastics were found in coral reef sediments in Sekotong, Lombok, Indonesia, with possible contributions from ocean current transport through the Indonesian Throughflow. The findings highlight that microplastic contamination has reached Indonesia's coral reef ecosystems, which are among the most biodiverse on Earth.
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.
Habitat-forming species trap microplastics into coastal sediment sinks
A field flume experiment comparing microplastic retention in seagrass, macroalgae, and coral habitats found that hard corals trapped the most particles in their above-ground structure, while sediment was the dominant overall sink — accumulating 1–2 orders of magnitude more than the organisms themselves.