Datos crudos completos .xlsx

Microplastics (<5 mm) are widespread across the world oceans, affecting a wide variety of organisms, including corals, which experience reduced growth, calcification, bleaching, and tissue necrosis when exposed to these contaminants. Microplastics are categorized as either primary or secondary, with the latter being more prevalent. In marine environments, microplastics can form biofilms that serve as vectors for pathogenic microorganisms and pollutants. While the impacts of microplastics on adult corals have been widely studied, primarily focusing on primary microplastics without biofilm, research on their effects on early coral life stages is limited. This study assessed: 1) The impact of varying concentrations of secondary microplastics on the early development of the coral Orbicella faveolata, 2) The effects of secondary microplastics (fibers and fragments) at different concentrations on larval settlement in the coral Acropora palmata ,and 3) The influence of fragments, with and without biofilms, of different sizes and concentrations on larval settlement in the coral Favia fragum. In O. faveolata, fertilization, embryonic development, and larval settlement were affected by fragments, with embryonic development showing the greatest impact, experiencing an average 25.9% reduction in the presence of microplastics. Larval development was unaffected by any microplastic type, but post-settlement survival decreased by an average of 35.8% due to exposure to fibers and fragments. In A. palmata, settlement was impacted by fragments, while in F. fragum, only fragments sized 2–4 mm reduced settlement rates.