Lecture 10 (Microplastics, Sunblock, Climate Change, Development)

Question 1

What are primary microplastics?

Answer 1

1) Pieces of plastic less than 5mm long made for abrasion
2) Designed to be this small for cleansing products

Question 2

What are secondary microplastics?

Answer 2

1) Results of bigger plastic pieces weathering down

Question 3

In tank experiments, corals preferred ________ to wild food

Answer 3

microplastics

Question 4

Studies have shown that corals under _____ ______ has greater effects than __________

Answer 4

heat stress, microplastics

Question 5

What 3 areas are negatively impacted by microplastics in corals?

Answer 5

1) Growth
2) Health
3) Photosynthesis

Question 6

It is estimated that _________ of sunscreen enters waterways every year

Answer 6

14,000

Question 7

__________ is a chemical often found in sunscreen that is lethal to juvenile corals

Answer 7

Oxybenzone (BP-3)

Question 8

What are some effects of oxybenzone on corals?

Answer 8

1) Increased susceptibility to bleaching
2) Genotoxicity
3) Abnormal skeletal growth
4) Baby coral deformities

Question 9

Corals that do not have any _________ feel the full effects of toxic oxybenzone, which is “activated” by sunlight

Answer 9

zooxanthellae

Question 10

What are some of the negative impacts on corals due to coastal development?

Answer 10

1) Habitat degradation
2) Sand erosion, land retreat, sedimentation
3) Changed water flows
4) Chronic runoff
5) Sewage effluent
6) EDCs and the microbiome

Question 11

Impacts on increasing ocean levels on corals

Answer 11

1) Loss of deeper corals (sunlight not able to reach as far down)
2) Increased colonization (but in different water levels)

Question 12

What are the 2 ways that sea levels can rise?

Answer 12

1) Thermal expansion
2) Increased melting of ice sheets