Human contaminants weaken coral resilience, study finds
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A study led by the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa found 25 contaminants from agricultural, industrial and pharmaceutical sources in coral tissues off Maui. Affected corals showed reduced energy and nutrient reserves, making them less resilient to warming and acidification.
The Study
Published in Nature Communications, the research analyzed metabolomes of 380 lobe corals (Porites lobata) and rice corals (Montipora capitata) from 16 sites off west and south Maui. Lead author Zach Quinlan of the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology said the metabolome can serve as a tool for tracking hidden impacts of anthropogenic disturbance. Both coral species showed nearly identical trends in contaminant accumulation despite different life strategies.
Mechanisms of Decline
The team proposed two mechanisms: accumulation of anthropogenic molecules like pharmaceuticals and industrial byproducts, and increased metabolic pressure depleting nitrogen and energy reserves. At sites with greater ecosystem disturbance, contaminants accumulated while nutrient reserves decreased. Stress chemicals were enriched in more affected corals.
Bleaching Event Clues
Historical coral cover data from five sites showed that those with the most severe declines after the 2016 bleaching event also had the most affected metabolomes. The findings suggest a direct relationship between anthropogenic disturbance, contaminant accumulation, and coral health consistent across species.
What's Next
The research team plans to expand monitoring of coral metabolomes across the Pacific. It remains unclear how quickly reefs can recover if contaminant inputs are reduced.
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Human contaminants weaken coral resilience, study finds
