title: Simulated coal spill causes mortality and growth inhibition in tropical marine organisms.
abstract: Coal is a principal fossil fuel driving economic and social development, and increases in global coal shipments have paralleled expansion of the industry. To identify the potential harm associated with chronic marine coal contamination, three taxa abundant in tropical marine ecosystems (the coral Acropora tenuis, the reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus and the seagrass Halodule uninervis) were exposed to five concentrations (0-275 mg coal l(-1)) of suspended coal dust (<63 μm) over 28 d. Results demonstrate that chronic coal exposure can cause considerable lethal effects on corals, and reductions in seagrass and fish growth rates. Coral survivorship and seagrass growth rates were inversely related to increasing coal concentrations (≥38 mg coal l(-1)) and effects increased between 14 and 28 d, whereas fish growth rates were similarly depressed at all coal concentrations tested. This investigation provides novel insights into direct coal impacts on key tropical taxa for application in the assessment of risks posed by increasing coal shipments in globally threatened marine ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.|Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.|AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.|ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn L E
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.|ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Mia O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Hoogenboom
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Florita
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Negri
mesh_terms: D035961:Alismatales / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D003031:Coal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010473:Perciformes / Q000254:growth & development*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical