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Tier 2
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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Environmental Sources
Marine & Wildlife
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Community composition and seasonal dynamics of microplastic biota in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Scientific Reports2024
13 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 60
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Keren Davidov,
Maxim Rubin‐Blum,
Maxim Rubin‐Blum,
Sheli Itzahri,
Katherine S. Marsay,
Katherine S. Marsay,
Katherine S. Marsay,
Keren Davidov,
Keren Davidov,
Keren Davidov,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Sheli Itzahri,
Keren Davidov,
Keren Davidov,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Katherine S. Marsay,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Katherine S. Marsay,
Keren Davidov,
Paula Sobral
Keren Davidov,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Keren Davidov,
Keren Davidov,
Sheli Itzahri,
Sheli Itzahri,
Matan Oren,
Keren Davidov,
Keren Davidov,
Sheli Itzahri,
Sheli Itzahri,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Maxim Rubin‐Blum,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Maxim Rubin‐Blum,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Keren Davidov,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Keren Davidov,
Paula Sobral
Sheli Itzahri,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Sheli Itzahri,
Sheli Itzahri,
Maxim Rubin‐Blum,
Sheli Itzahri,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Chana Kranzler,
Chana Kranzler,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Matan Oren,
Paula Sobral
Sheli Itzahri,
Matan Oren,
Matan Oren,
Matan Oren,
Matan Oren,
Paula Sobral
Sheli Itzahri,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Matan Oren,
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Paula Sobral
Summary
Scientists studied the microbial communities living on microplastics in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea across all four seasons over two years. They found that microplastics host a distinct and relatively stable community of bacteria and other organisms that differs from the surrounding seawater. This "plastisphere" ecosystem could serve as a vehicle for transporting potentially harmful microorganisms across ocean environments.
Study Type
Environmental
Marine plastic pollution poses a growing environmental threat, with microplastics accumulating in the global oceans. This study profiles the seasonal dynamics and taxonomic composition of the plastisphere, the microplastic ecosystem, in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Using long-read 16 S and 18 S metabarcoding, we analyzed offshore microplastic and whole seawater samples across each season over a two-year period. The analysis revealed a higher richness of prokaryotic communities on microplastics compared to seawater, which was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota and exhibited notable seasonal variability. Benthic eukaryotes were enriched on microplastics compared to the surrounding seawater. Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae), in particular, showed significant enrichment within the microplastic eukaryotic community with primarily pennate diatoms of Amphora, Navicula, and Nitzschia genera, whereas the seawater included mostly centric diatoms. Seasonal fluctuations were less pronounced in the microplastic communities than in seawater, highlighting the relative stability of this new human-made ecosystem. These findings underscore the unique ecological niche of microplastic-associated communities in marine environments.