Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Konsentrasi Makroplastik Pada Ekosistem Terumbu Karang Di Perairan Pesisir Pemuteran Dan Padang Bai

Researchers found that macroplastic concentrations in Bali's coral reef waters were inversely proportional to live coral cover, with higher plastic loads in Padang Bai (0.09–0.12 pieces/m²) correlating with reduced coral health compared to the less-polluted Pemuteran site.

2023 Journal of Marine Research and Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 PLoS ONE 25 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Advances in Tropical Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

Implications of Microplastic Pollution for the Conservation of Marine Protected Areas Authors

This study examines the implications of microplastic pollution for the conservation effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas, investigating whether the presence of microplastics undermines the environmental protection goals of these designated conservation zones.

2024 FIU Undergraduate Research Journal
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in seawater across global marine protected areas boundaries

Researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment of microplastic contamination across global Marine Protected Areas, finding that these conservation zones are not immune to plastic pollution and highlighting the need for targeted mitigation strategies.

2022 Environmental Pollution 109 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Marine Debris on Coral Reef Ecosystem and Effectiveness of Removal of Debris on Ecosystem Health – Baseline Data From Palk Bay, Indian Ocean

Researchers assessed the impact of marine debris, including plastic, on coral reef ecosystems and evaluated the effectiveness of debris removal efforts. The study found that marine debris causes significant physical and ecological harm to reefs, and that removal interventions can provide measurable ecological benefits.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Karakteristik dan Sebaran Sampah Terdampar di Kawasan Pesisir Taman Nasional Bali Barat

This study characterized marine debris washed ashore in a national park in Bali, Indonesia, cataloging the types and distribution of litter across the coastline. The findings highlight how high-population and tourism activity contributes to coastal plastic contamination even in protected conservation areas.

2021 Journal of Marine Research and Technology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2018 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Macro- and microplastics as complex threats to coral reef ecosystems

This review summarizes the growing threat that plastic pollution, from large debris down to nanoplastics, poses to coral reef ecosystems worldwide. Researchers found that microplastics can impair coral feeding, skeletal formation, and nutrition, weakening reef health. The study calls for including plastic monitoring in reef conservation programs and promoting a circular economy to reduce plastic waste entering oceans.

2023 Environment International 44 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 National University of Singapore
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Sedimentology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Measurement of microplastic density in the Karimunjawa National Park, Central Java, Indonesia

Researchers measured microplastic abundance in the waters of the Karimunjawa National Park in Indonesia, a marine protected area, finding contamination despite its protected status. The results highlight that even designated conservation areas are not shielded from microplastic pollution carried by ocean currents.

2018 Indo Pacific Journal of Ocean Life 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Mapping microplastic overlap between marine compartments and biodiversity in a Mediterranean marine protected area

Researchers mapped microplastic distribution across water, sediment, and biota in a Mediterranean marine protected area, revealing significant overlap between microplastic hotspots and biodiversity-rich zones, raising concerns about ecological impacts in supposedly protected habitats.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Marine Litter in the Coralligenous Habitat of a Marine Protected Area along the Ionian Coast of Sicily (Central Mediterranean)

Researchers assessed the extent of marine litter in a coralligenous habitat within a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area, finding significant debris accumulation even in this protected zone. The findings highlight that MPA status alone is insufficient to prevent plastic pollution in sensitive benthic ecosystems.

2020 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 15 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science
Article Tier 2

Mikroplastik pada Terumbu Karang di Pulau Panjang Jepara

This Indonesian study examined microplastic contamination in coral reef ecosystems around Panjang Island in Jepara. The findings document plastic pollution in a reef system affected by tourism and waste disposal from visiting communities, raising concerns about plastic impacts on sensitive marine habitats.

2023 Jurnal Pasir Laut
Article Tier 2

A global snapshot of microplastic contamination in sediments and biota of marine protected areas

A global snapshot of microplastic contamination in sediments and biota across marine protected areas (MPAs) found that microplastics are ubiquitous even in these conservation zones, undermining their protective function. The review synthesizes occurrence data and calls for microplastic monitoring to be integrated into MPA management plans.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of marine debris on coral reef ecosystem: A review for conservation and ecological monitoring of the coral reef ecosystem

This review examines how marine debris, especially microplastics, threatens coral reef ecosystems by causing physical damage, spreading disease, and disrupting coral biology. Microplastics can stick to coral polyps and block their feeding, while also carrying harmful bacteria that cause coral diseases. Healthy coral reefs are vital for fisheries and coastal protection, so their decline from plastic pollution indirectly affects the millions of people who depend on reef ecosystems for food and livelihoods.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Accumulation in Coral Reef Ecosystems at Peukan Bada District, Aceh Besar

Researchers collected sediment from coral reef sites in Aceh, Indonesia and found microplastics of three types — fibers, films, and fragments — at all locations, with densities ranging from 32 to 68 particles per kilogram. The study found a strong statistical association between microplastic abundance and the health of coral reef cover, suggesting a link between plastic pollution and reef degradation. This provides early evidence that microplastics may be contributing to the decline of coral ecosystems in Indonesian coastal waters.

2024 Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Journal of Marine Studies
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 78 citations
Article Tier 2

High levels of microplastics and microrubber pollution in a remote, protected Mediterranean Cladocora caespitosa coral bed

Researchers discovered high levels of microplastic and microrubber pollution in sediments surrounding a protected Cladocora caespitosa coral bed in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. The study suggests that even protected marine areas with coral communities are not immune to plastic contamination, raising concerns about the ecological impact on these already threatened reef ecosystems.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 citations