Microplastic Leachate Negatively Affects Fertilization in the Coral Montipora capitata.

ABSTRACT: Microplastic pollution is an emerging stressor of concern to coral reef ecosystems, which are already threatened by additional global and local level anthropogenic stressors. The effects of ingesting microplastics alone on corals have been well studied, but the effects of the chemical composition of these particles have been understudied. Many microplastic-associated chemicals are endocrine disrupters potentially posing a threat to organismal reproduction. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine if differences exist between the effects of microplastics themselves and microplastic leachate on Montipora capitata fertilization due to changes in fatty acid quantity and composition. Assays were conducted two years in a row which exposed M. capitata gamete bundles to either one of fou

SUBMITTER: Wilkins KW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11518575 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature