What role do plastics play in coral disease?
Plastic debris can carry microbial biofilms, including potential coral pathogens, and transport them to new hosts or hold them against wounded tissue. Entanglement and abrasion create lesions that facilitate infection, while shading and hypoxia weaken coral defences. This combination can raise disease risk through pathogen hitchhiking. Plastics do not generally sterilise reefs; bleaching may occur under stress but is not the specific mechanism described here. Particle size, shape, polymer type, weathering state, and associated chemicals all influence uptake and biological response, so micropla
Ref: Campbell Biology, Urry et al., 12th Ed., Unit 8 Ecology