Global S&T Development Trend Analysis Platform of Resources and Environment
New Danger for Corals in Warming Oceans: Metal Pollution | |
admin | |
2019-11-19 | |
发布年 | 2019 |
语种 | 英语 |
国家 | 美国 |
领域 | 气候变化 |
正文(英文) | Metal copper from agricultural runoff and marine paint leaching from boat hulls poses an emerging threat to soft coral sea fans in the waters around Puerto Rico. In a Cornell-led study, published in the journal Ecological Applications, scientists report evidence of metal pollution creating danger for the soft coral sea fans. "We know warming oceans pose an existential threat to coral reefs around the world," said ecologist Allison Tracy, who conducted this work with Drew Harvell, professor of marine biology. "Action to alleviate the impact of warming oceans is a priority, but understanding the role of pollutants in coral disease and mortality gives us more options for solutions." While plastics and microplastics are a well-known threat to the world's oceans, the effect of metal contamination is poorly understood, according to the researchers. Increased copper pollution can be a result of agricultural runoff and marine paint leaching from boat hulls. Over a one-year period, the researchers tracked 175 individual sea fan colonies with varying levels of copper concentrations found in the sediment at 15 coral reef sites around Puerto Rico. They found that reefs with higher copper concentrations in the sediment suffered a reduction in recovery from multifocal purple spots disease -- a disease that can plague the sea fans. In the laboratory, Tracy found that sea fans initially launched an immune response to a damaging infection at low levels of copper and temperature stress. But when copper concentrations were boosted, sea fans' immune response failed, which suggests that copper stressed the sea fans and eliminated their immune potential, she said. "The patterns we saw in immune markers are important because they show a mechanism through which copper and warming oceans can impair the corals' health," Tracy said. This research supplied novel data on the role of environmental stressors in coral disease and may provide a toolkit for combatting coral disease on a local scale. "We can't manage the climate damage to coral reefs until we better understand how pollution and disease magnify the impacts of heat stress," Harvell said. "Although healthy corals in thriving ecosystems also experience low levels of disease, the concern is that changing ocean conditions and increased pollution have led to increased disease outbreaks. As a result, corals may be losing the battle with their pathogens as ocean stressors tip the balance in favor of disease."
make a difference: sponsored opportunity
Story Source: Materials provided by Cornell University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference:
Cite This Page: Cornell University. "New danger for corals in warming oceans: Metal pollution." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 November 2019.
Cornell University. (2019, November 19). New danger for corals in warming oceans: Metal pollution. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 18, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191119161457.htm
Cornell University. "New danger for corals in warming oceans: Metal pollution." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191119161457.htm (accessed January 18, 2020).
|
URL | 查看原文 |
来源平台 | Science Daily |
文献类型 | 新闻 |
条目标识符 | http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/220528 |
专题 | 气候变化 |
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714 | admin. New Danger for Corals in Warming Oceans: Metal Pollution. 2019. |
条目包含的文件 | 条目无相关文件。 |
个性服务 |
推荐该条目 |
保存到收藏夹 |
查看访问统计 |
导出为Endnote文件 |
谷歌学术 |
谷歌学术中相似的文章 |
[admin]的文章 |
百度学术 |
百度学术中相似的文章 |
[admin]的文章 |
必应学术 |
必应学术中相似的文章 |
[admin]的文章 |
相关权益政策 |
暂无数据 |
收藏/分享 |
除非特别说明,本系统中所有内容都受版权保护,并保留所有权利。
修改评论