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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Integrated toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic assessment modeling reveals at-risk scleractinian corals under extensive microplastics impacts
ClearFeeding 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Non-traditional species sensitivity distribution approaches to analyze hazardous concentrations of microplastics in marine water
Researchers analyzed species sensitivity distribution curves for microplastic toxicity in marine water using non-traditional approaches, determining hazardous concentration thresholds across multiple toxicity endpoints to support environmental risk assessment.
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.
Microplastic as an invisible threat to the coral reefs: Sources, toxicity mechanisms, policy intervention, and the way forward
This review examines how microplastics threaten coral reefs by causing physical damage, chemical toxicity, and disruption to coral biology. Microplastics can block coral feeding, carry harmful chemicals, and promote disease-causing bacteria on coral surfaces. While focused on coral ecosystems, the findings matter for human health because healthy reefs support fisheries and coastal communities that millions of people depend on.
Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastic particles
Researchers applied an ecological risk assessment framework to evaluate the hazard posed by microplastic particles across multiple environmental compartments, using species sensitivity distributions and environmental concentration data. The assessment highlighted specific particle types and size ranges that present the greatest ecological risk.
Assessment of ecotoxicological effects of small microplastics on Mediterranean corals.
Researchers assessed the ecotoxicological effects of small microplastics on Mediterranean coral species, with a focus on transgenerational impacts and energy allocation processes that have been largely overlooked in prior work concentrated predominantly on tropical coral systems.
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.
Toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic-based risk assessment of freshwater fish health posed by microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations
A toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic modeling approach was developed to link microplastic exposure levels to physiological effects in freshwater fish, providing a mechanistic framework for health risk assessment. The model filled a gap between environmental exposure data and ecological risk evaluation for fish populations in microplastic-contaminated freshwaters.
Mathematical Analysis on the Effects of Microplastic Pollution and Ocean Acidification on Coral Reefs in Aquatic Ecosystem
Researchers developed a mathematical model with time-varying parameters to simulate the combined effects of microplastic pollution and ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems, finding that the interaction between these stressors can amplify ecological damage beyond what either factor causes alone.
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.
Toxicity of microplastics and nano-plastics to coral-symbiotic alga (Dinophyceae Symbiodinium): Evidence from alga physiology, ultrastructure, OJIP kinetics and multi-omics
Researchers studied how microplastics and nanoplastics damage Symbiodinium, the algae that live inside coral and keep reefs alive. Even at concentrations found in the real environment, the plastic particles disrupted photosynthesis, caused oxidative stress, and triggered metabolic problems in the algae. Since the breakdown of this coral-algae partnership leads to coral bleaching, microplastic pollution could threaten the reef ecosystems that support fisheries and coastal communities worldwide.
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.
Assessment of ecotoxicological effects of small microplastics on Mediterranean corals.
Researchers investigated the ecotoxicological effects of micro- and nano-plastics on Mediterranean gorgonian corals using field-representative polymer compositions and concentrations, with particular focus on energy allocation to metabolism, growth, and reproduction, as well as transgenerational impacts. The study addressed a gap in tropical-dominated coral microplastics research by examining temperate Mediterranean species.
Assessment of microplastic bioconcentration, bioaccumulation and biomagnification in a simple coral reef food web
Researchers assessed microplastic bioconcentration, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification across three trophic levels in a coral reef food web, including zooplankton, benthic crustaceans, and reef fish. The study suggests that microplastics accumulate differently depending on species and trophic position, providing important baseline data for understanding ecological risks of microplastic contamination in coral reef ecosystems.
Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastic particles
Researchers developed a framework for assessing the ecological risk of microplastic particles, incorporating particle characteristics, environmental concentrations, and species sensitivity data. The assessment identified conditions under which current environmental microplastic levels pose significant risk to aquatic organisms.
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.
Modeling the spatiotemporal distribution, bioaccumulation, and ecological risk assessment of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems: A review
Researchers modeled the spatiotemporal distribution and ecological risk of microplastics across a coastal marine environment, incorporating hydrodynamic data and bioaccumulation factors for multiple species. The model predicted highest microplastic concentrations near urban outflows with risk extending through the food web.
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.
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.
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.