Microplastics in the Ocean and their Consequences: Coral Reef Case Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.2079Abstract
Increased microplastic production, through inefficient waste management, causes issues such as bioaccumulation and biomagnification. This affects organisms across trophic levels, from coral reefs to humans. Corals provide crucial ecosystem services, such as oxygen production and protection against flash floods. Damage caused by microplastics could significantly impact air quality, marine biodiversity, and human health through the ingestion of microplastic-laced seafood. Some main points discussed include marine pollution and its sources; trophic transfer of microplastics (bioaccumulation, biomagnification); the effect of microplastic accumulation on the overall health of coral and the organisms that inhabit it; and how continued plastic use will impact coral in the future, and in turn, impact us humans. These findings highlight that future work on microplastics should contribute towards coral reef conservation and focus on controlling marine microplastic pollution for both ocean and human health.
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