Colony complexity affects microplastic loads in Pocillopora corals DOI Creative Commons
Jessica Reichert, Joshua S. Madin, Martina Pierdomenico

et al.

Environmental Pollution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 126480 - 126480

Published: May 1, 2025

Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Coral reefs, often located near land-based sources of these pollutants, act as potential sinks due their complex three-dimensional structures. While the interactions between reef-building corals and MPs have been increasingly investigated, role coral structural complexity in MP accumulation remains poorly understood. This study investigated influence on trapping efficiency under natural conditions, specifically aiming to: I) quantify characterize trapped by Pocillopora corals, II) compare distribution across compartments (surface, tissue, skeleton), III) assess relationship seven metrics (i.e., S/V ratio, fractal dimension, compactness, convexity, sphericity, packing, rugosity) loads. Six sp. colonies, comprising 36 fragments, were sampled from reef Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawai'i. extracted surface, skeleton for quantification characterization using microscopy FTIR spectroscopy. was assessed photogrammetry 3D scanning. found at an average 0.029 ± 0.079 particles per g coral, mostly surface (61%). Compact, thick-branched morphologies showed higher accumulation, likely enhanced stagnant water regions reduced turbulence. Our results demonstrate that plays deposition with implications health transfer other sinks. highlights importance considering morphological when evaluating risk pollution.

Language: Английский

Colony complexity affects microplastic loads in Pocillopora corals DOI Creative Commons
Jessica Reichert, Joshua S. Madin, Martina Pierdomenico

et al.

Environmental Pollution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 126480 - 126480

Published: May 1, 2025

Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Coral reefs, often located near land-based sources of these pollutants, act as potential sinks due their complex three-dimensional structures. While the interactions between reef-building corals and MPs have been increasingly investigated, role coral structural complexity in MP accumulation remains poorly understood. This study investigated influence on trapping efficiency under natural conditions, specifically aiming to: I) quantify characterize trapped by Pocillopora corals, II) compare distribution across compartments (surface, tissue, skeleton), III) assess relationship seven metrics (i.e., S/V ratio, fractal dimension, compactness, convexity, sphericity, packing, rugosity) loads. Six sp. colonies, comprising 36 fragments, were sampled from reef Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawai'i. extracted surface, skeleton for quantification characterization using microscopy FTIR spectroscopy. was assessed photogrammetry 3D scanning. found at an average 0.029 ± 0.079 particles per g coral, mostly surface (61%). Compact, thick-branched morphologies showed higher accumulation, likely enhanced stagnant water regions reduced turbulence. Our results demonstrate that plays deposition with implications health transfer other sinks. highlights importance considering morphological when evaluating risk pollution.

Language: Английский

Citations

0