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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Interactive effects of microplastic pollution and heat stress on reef-building corals
ClearInteractive 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.
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.
Exposure 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Impacts of microplastics on growth and health of hermatypic corals are species-specific
Researchers exposed four genera of reef-building corals to realistic concentrations of microplastics over six months to assess long-term impacts. They found that effects on coral growth and health were species-specific, with some corals showing reduced calcification while others appeared unaffected. The study highlights that microplastic pollution may threaten certain coral species more than others, complicating predictions about reef resilience.
Increasing microplastic concentrations have nonlinear impacts on the physiology of reef-building corals
Researchers exposed reef-building corals to increasing microplastic concentrations and found nonlinear effects on coral physiology, suggesting that low and high MP levels may have qualitatively different biological impacts. The findings complicate predictions of how coral reefs will respond as ocean MP pollution increases.
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.
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.
Research progress in ecotoxicology of climate change coupled with marine pollutions
This review examined how rising ocean temperatures and acidification from climate change interact with marine pollutants including microplastics, finding that combined stressors often produce worse effects than either alone. The research underscores that plastic pollution cannot be addressed in isolation from the broader context of global climate change.
Effects of microplastic combined with Cr(III) on apoptosis and energy pathway of coral endosymbiont
Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics combined with chromium affected coral endosymbiont density, chlorophyll content, and key enzymes involved in apoptosis and energy metabolism, revealing compounded stress on reef-building corals.
Microplastics: impacts on corals and other reef organisms
This study reviewed the growing body of evidence on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect corals and other reef organisms. Researchers found that these plastic particles can impair coral feeding, growth, and reproduction, and may worsen the effects of other stressors like ocean warming. The review highlights that plastic pollution represents an additional serious threat to already vulnerable reef ecosystems 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.
Integrated toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic assessment modeling reveals at-risk scleractinian corals under extensive microplastics impacts
An integrated toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic modeling approach was applied to quantify microplastic-coral interaction dynamics across multiple scleractinian coral species, identifying species-specific vulnerability thresholds and predicting which coral species are most at risk under current microplastic pollution levels.
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.
Survival at a cost: Corals endure microplastic and nanoplastic pollution by sacrificing energy reserves
Researchers exposed two coral species to microplastics and nanoplastics at concentrations comparable to those found in ocean environments and monitored their health over 10 weeks. They found that Stylophora pistillata was highly sensitive, experiencing progressive bleaching, reduced photosynthesis, and significant depletion of energy reserves including lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. While Turbinaria reniformis was more resilient, it still showed reduced photosynthesis and energy loss, indicating that even low concentrations of plastic pollution impose significant physiological costs on corals.
The combined effects of ocean warming and microplastic pollution on marine phytoplankton community dynamics
Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastic pollution and rising ocean temperatures on tiny marine plants called phytoplankton. While microplastics alone had minimal impact at current temperatures, when combined with warmer water conditions, phytoplankton biomass dropped by 41% and diversity fell by nearly 39%. The study suggests that climate change may dramatically amplify the harmful effects of microplastic pollution on the ocean organisms responsible for a significant portion of global carbon capture.
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.