Table 1 Summary of laboratory-based studies testing hydrocarbon toxicity to reproduction and early life stages of corals and a sponge.

From: Acute ecotoxicology of natural oil and gas condensate to coral reef larvae

Species

Hydrocarbon

Endpoint

WAF Chemistry

Effect concentration (WAF% or μg l−1)

Ref.

Coral

 Stylophora pistillata

Crude oil

Mortality, metamorphosis

No

LOEC Survival: 1% LOEC Meta: 1%

23

 Pocillopora damicornis

Unleaded gasoline:engine oil (50:1) and benzene

Mortality, metamorphosis

No

Not consistently observed

55

 Acropora tenuis

Fuel oil 467

Fertilization

THC

LOEC Fert: 2

56

 Acropora millepora

Heavy crude oil

Fertilization, metamorphosis

THC

LOEC Fert: 165 LOEC Meta: 82

31

 A. millepora

Produced formation water

Fertilization, metamorphosis

THC

LOEC Fert: 72 LOEC Meta: 36

31

 S. pistillata

crude oil

Metamorphosis, morphology

No

LOEC Meta: 0.1%, LOEC Deform.: 1% WAF

57

 A. tenuis

Fuel oil 467

Larval survival

THC

LC50 3800

32

 Goniastrea aspera

   

LOEC 6800

 

 Platygyra sinensis

   

No observed effect

 

 A. microphthalma

Marine lubricants

Fertilization

THC

LOEC: 200

34

 P.damicornis

Natural gas condensate

Larval mortality, Metamorphosis, Juvenile growth

No

Mortality: > 100% Growth: > 100%

58

 Pocillopora verrucosa

   

Mort: > 100%, LOEC Meta: 100%, Growth: 100%

 

 Seriatopora hystrix

   

Mort.: 100% LOEC Meta: 50% Growth: 100%

 

 S.guttatus

   

Mort.: 100%, LOEC Meta: 50%, Growth: 10%

 

 S. pistillata

   

Mort.:0 > 100%, LOEC Meta: 100%, Growth: 10%

 

 P. damicornis

Natural gas condensate

Larval abortion (early release)

No

Abortion: 50%

59

 Montastraea faveolata

Light crude oil

Metamorphosis, swimming, & mortality

THC

LOEC Mort: 650 LOEC Meta: 650

30

 Porites astreoides

 

Larval mortality

 

LOEC Survival: 620 LOEC Meta: 620

 

 Agaricia humilis

Seawater from a light crude spill and Lab WAF

Larval mortality, metamorphosis

THC

Mortality: 550 Meta: 145

60

 Orbicella faveolata

   

Mortality: 135

 
    

Meta: 135

 

Sponge

 Crambe crambe

PAH mix

Larval metamorphosis

No

LOEC Meta: 0.5

35

  1. Where LOEC = lowest observed effect concentration, WAF = water accommodated fraction, Met. = metamorphosis, Fert. = fertilization, Deform. = deformation, Mort = mortality. LC50 is the lethal concentration for 50% mortality. THC = total hydrocarbons.