We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Zooming in the plastisphere: the ecological interface for phytoplankton–plastic interactions in aquatic ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines the complex interactions between microplastics and phytoplankton in aquatic ecosystems, from toxic effects to colonization of plastic surfaces forming the so-called plastisphere. Researchers found that phytoplankton employ adaptive strategies such as extracellular polysaccharide production to cope with plastic-induced stress, while plastics can also serve as habitats for harmful algae and invasive species. The study highlights that these interactions can have cascading effects throughout aquatic food webs and ecosystem processes.
Phytoplankton is an essential resource in aquatic ecosystems, situated at the base of aquatic food webs. Plastic pollution can impact these organisms, potentially affecting the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The interaction between plastics and phytoplankton is multifaceted: while microplastics can exert toxic effects on phytoplankton, plastics can also act as a substrate for colonisation. By reviewing the existing literature, this study aims to address pivotal questions concerning the intricate interplay among plastics and phytoplankton/phytobenthos and analyse impacts on fundamental ecosystem processes (e.g. primary production, nutrient cycling). This investigation spans both marine and freshwater ecosystems, examining diverse organisational levels from subcellular processes to entire ecosystems. The diverse chemical composition of plastics, along with their variable properties and role in forming the "plastisphere", underscores the complexity of their influences on aquatic environments. Morphological changes, alterations in metabolic processes, defence and stress responses, including homoaggregation and extracellular polysaccharide biosynthesis, represent adaptive strategies employed by phytoplankton to cope with plastic-induced stress. Plastics also serve as potential habitats for harmful algae and invasive species, thereby influencing biodiversity and environmental conditions. Processes affected by phytoplankton-plastic interaction can have cascading effects throughout the aquatic food web via altered bottom-up and top-down processes. This review emphasises that our understanding of how these multiple interactions compare in impact on natural processes is far from complete, and uncertainty persists regarding whether they drive significant alterations in ecological variables. A lack of comprehensive investigation poses a risk of overlooking fundamental aspects in addressing the environmental challenges associated with widespread plastic pollution.
More Papers Like This
Responses of natural plastisphere community and zooplankton to microplastic pollution: a review on novel remediation strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microbial communities colonize microplastic surfaces in aquatic environments, forming what scientists call the plastisphere, and how these plastic-associated microbes interact with zooplankton. Researchers found that microplastics serve as floating platforms for bacteria, including potentially harmful species, and can transfer these microbes up the food chain through zooplankton ingestion. The study highlights novel bioremediation strategies that harness natural microbial processes to help break down microplastic pollution.
Microplastics in Aquatic Environments
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes the current state of microplastic research in aquatic environments, covering the plastisphere — the microbial community that colonizes plastic surfaces — and the ways microplastics interact with other aquatic organisms. The paper highlights microplastics as a growing ecological concern that affects food webs and ecosystem processes.
Microplastics disrupt microbial functions in aquatic ecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics in water don't just sit passively — they rapidly become colonized by microorganisms, forming the "plastisphere," and this can fundamentally alter how aquatic ecosystems function. This review synthesizes evidence that microplastics and their associated biofilms can carry pathogens, harmful algae, and chemical pollutants, while also disrupting critical processes like nitrogen cycling and photosynthesis in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. The authors identify significant gaps in understanding what happens when microplastics interact with oils and other hazardous substances, which is an urgent frontier for future research.
A critical review of interactions between microplastics, microalgae and aquatic ecosystem function
AI summary Read the abstract
This review of microplastic-microalgae interactions found that microplastics form distinct epiplastic algal communities that differ from surrounding water communities, and that the interactions are bidirectional — MP properties affect algal physiology while algal surface coatings alter MP behavior and fate.
Biofilm formation and its implications on the properties and fate of microplastics in aquatic environments: A review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastics in water attract and support communities of bacteria and other microorganisms that form biofilms — living coatings that alter the plastic particles' movement, help them carry pathogens, and affect how toxic chemicals attached to the plastic are absorbed by living things. Understanding this "plastisphere" ecosystem is critical for predicting where microplastics go and how harmful they become.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.