We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microbiomes on microplastics versus natural microcarriers: Stability and transformation during aquatic travel from aquaculture ponds to adjacent stream
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared microbial communities that form on microplastics versus natural materials as they travel from aquaculture ponds to adjacent streams. They found that different plastic types harbored distinct microbial communities, and that these plastisphere communities were less stable than those on natural substrates during transit between water bodies. The study suggests that microplastics may spread different assemblages of microorganisms as they move through connected aquatic environments.
Microplastics (MPs) with different physical-chemical properties are considered as vectors for the propagation of microbes in aquatic environments. It remains unclear how plastic types impact on the plastisphere and whether different MPs spread microbes more rapidly than natural materials in microbes across distinct water bodies as proposed previously. We used in-situ incubation to investigate the microbes attached on MPs of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), versus that on two natural microcarriers (quartz sands and bamboo) during the travel from aquaculture ponds with impacted by fish farming to adjacent freshwater stream. The results showed that the microbial communities on the carriers were shaped not only by environmental conditions, which were primary determinants but also by carrier types. All the tested plastics did not carry more microbes than the natural carriers during the journey. The biofilm community composition on PVC is distinct from that on PE and PP MPs and natural carriers. The plastisphere of PE and PP kept microbial proportions as natural materials did but PVC retained less than nature materials. Bamboo carried more potential pathogens than plastic polymers and quartz. The results indicated that the communities of plastisphere is polymer-type dependent, and, compared with the natural materials, MPs did not show enhanced propagation of microbes, including pathogens, cross distinct environments.
More Papers Like This
Lacustrine plastisphere: Distinct succession and assembly processes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities and role of site, time, and polymer types
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastic polymers in freshwater lakes. The study found that bacteria and single-celled organisms follow distinct assembly patterns on microplastic surfaces, with colonization time, location, and polymer type all influencing community composition. These findings suggest microplastics serve as carriers that can promote microbial spread in aquatic environments.
The travelling particles: community dynamics of biofilms on microplastics transferred along a salinity gradient
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tracked how microbial communities on microplastics changed as the particles moved along a salinity gradient from freshwater to marine environments, finding that the plastisphere shifted substantially with changing salinity. The results suggest that microplastics can transport distinct microbial assemblages across environmental boundaries.
The travelling particles: community dynamics of biofilms on microplastics transferred along a salinity gradient
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied whether microbial communities living on microplastics can survive when the plastic is transported from one aquatic environment to another — for example, from freshwater to marine systems. The results showed that some community members persisted through environmental transitions, suggesting that microplastics can act as vehicles for dispersing microorganisms across ecosystem boundaries. This has implications for understanding whether microplastics could help spread potentially harmful microbes into new environments.
The Effect of Microplastics on Microbial Succession at Impaired and Unimpaired Sites in a Riverine System
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared microbial biofilm diversity on microplastic polymers and natural substrates at impaired and unimpaired riverine sites, examining how environmental nutrient loads, seasonality, and geography influence microbiome succession on plastic surfaces in freshwater ecosystems.
Characterizations of formed biofilms and microbial communities on microplastics in coastal rivers of Japan
AI summary Read the abstract
Biofilm communities forming on microplastics in coastal rivers of Japan were distinct from those on natural surfaces and varied by polymer type, with certain plastics supporting different microbial assemblages. These plastisphere communities may alter the fate and transport of plastics and could carry microbes — including potential pathogens — into downstream marine environments. The findings add to concerns about the ecological role of microplastics as novel substrates for microbial life.
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.