Corals eat plastic because they like the taste

For years, scientists thought corals accidentally ate the plastic debris that washed into their waters because they mistakenly took them for prey. But a new study from Duke University shows this is not the case: the plastic just tastes good.

Just like humans, corals are drawn to food that is bad for them, it would seem. The researchers tested corals they had collected off the North Carolina coast, by giving them a variety of options to eat, including bits of sand and plastic.

The plastic can’t be mistaken for prey because coral don’t have eyes, so they have no way of seeing what they are about to eat. The researchers think some of the chemicals found on the plastic might be making it taste nice to the coral.

While corals might like the taste of plastic, it does not mean it is good for them to consume it. Plastic is almost completely indigestible, so it causes blockages, create a false sense of being full, or reduce the energy reserves in animals that eat it. “About 8% of the plastic that coral polyps in our study ingested was still stuck in their guts after 24 hours,” says Allen.


“Ultimately, the hope is that if we can manufacture plastic so it unintentionally tastes good to these animals, we might also be able to manufacture it so it intentionally tastes bad,” Seymour says. “That could significantly help reduce the threat these microplastics pose.”

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However, these so-called single corals are not the reef-builders responsible for the large Caribbean reefs that form critical habitat for various species, while also performing other important roles in nature.

"While single corals may have the chance to survive … it would be very different from the coral reefs we know today and that we depend on today," said Adina Paytan, a study researcher with the University of California, Santa Cruz, who presented her research here Wednesday (Dec. 7) at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union.

Paytanand her colleagues found three species of solitary corals growing in the relatively acidic waters flowing from natural springs along the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Because of its chemical properties, this water was thought to be inhospitable to corals. Submarine excursions allow tourists to see coral formations and exotic fish without having to snorkel or dive.

Submarines can accommodate up to 45 people and dive to a depth of 70ft. The bigger ones are operated by two pilots and have large reinforced glass windows.

Egypt's Red Sea resorts, especially Sharm el-Sheikh, are well known for their white sand beaches and rich underwater life.

But in December 2010, a spate of shark attacks killed one German woman and injured four other tourists, forcing the closure of Sharm el-Sheikh's beaches for several weeks.

More than a million Britons visited Egypt last year, despite the political violence which rocked the country.

The biggest danger posed to tourists in the Sinai is terrorism – there have been three bomb attacks on the peninsula since 2004, with British nationals killed or injured in each.

The most recent occurred in April 2006 in the resort town of Dahab, which is less developed than Sharm el-Sheikh and popular with backpackers.