We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.
Accumulation of anthropogenic litter (i.e. garbage; AL) and its ecosystem effects in marine environments are well documented. Rivers receive AL from terrestrial habitats and represent a major source of AL to marine environments, but AL is rarely studied within freshwater ecosystems. Our objectives were to 1) quantify AL density in urban freshwaters, 2) compare AL abundance among freshwater, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems, and 3) characterize the activity and composition of AL biofilms in freshwater habitats. We quantified AL from the Chicago River and Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline, and found that AL abundance in Chicago freshwater ecosystems was comparable to previously reported data for marine and terrestrial ecosystems, although AL density and composition differed among habitats. To assess microbial interactions with AL, we incubated AL and natural substrates in 3 freshwater ecosystems, quantified biofilm metabolism as gross primary production (GPP) and community respiration (CR), and characterized biofilm bacterial community composition via high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The main driver of biofilm community composition was incubation location (e.g., river vs pond), but there were some significant differences in biofilm composition and metabolism among substrates. For example, biofilms on organic substrates (cardboard and leaves) had lower GPP than hard substrates (glass, plastic, aluminum and tiles). In addition, bacterial communities on organic substrates were distinct in composition from those on hard substrates, with higher relative abundances of bacteria associated with cellulose decomposition. Finally, we used our results to develop a conceptual diagram designed to unite the study of AL in terrestrial and freshwater environments with the well-established field of marine debris research. We suggest this broad perspective will be useful for future studies which synthesize AL sources, ecosystem effects, and fate across multiple ecosystem types, and will benefit management and reduction of global AL accumulations.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic is an Abundant and Distinct Microbial Habitat in an Urban River
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers demonstrated that microplastic surfaces in an urban river host a microbial community that is distinct from surrounding water and sediment communities, establishing microplastic as an abundant and ecologically distinct habitat for river microorganisms.
Anthropogenic litter and microplastic in urban streams: Abundance, source, and fate
AI summary Read the abstract
This study quantified anthropogenic litter and microplastic in urban streams in the United States, measuring abundance, sources, and fate including contributions from wastewater treatment plant effluent. Results show that urban rivers are significant conduits for microplastic transport from land-based sources to downstream and ultimately marine environments.
Microplastic in surface waters of urban rivers: concentration, sources, and associated bacterial assemblages
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic levels in the surface waters of the Chicago River and its urban tributaries, finding concentrations as high as 1.94 particles per cubic meter near wastewater outflows. They discovered that microplastic fibers and pellets were often colonized by bacterial communities distinct from those in the surrounding water. The study provides early evidence that urban rivers are significant conduits for microplastic pollution and that these particles may serve as rafts for microorganisms.
Distinct microplastic patterns in the sediment and biota of an urban stream
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found distinct microplastic contamination patterns between sediments and aquatic biota in an urban stream, with sediments accumulating more particles while biota showed selective uptake based on particle size and shape, highlighting the complex dynamics of microplastic distribution in urban freshwater systems.
Plastic substrate and residual time of microplastics in the urban river shape the composition and structure of bacterial communities in plastisphere
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted an in-site incubation experiment in an urban river using microplastics from three plastic product types (garbage bags, shopping bags, and plastic bottles), finding that both plastic substrate type and incubation time shaped the bacterial communities colonizing the plastisphere. Different plastic products harbored distinct microbial communities, with potential implications for the spread of plastic-associated microorganisms in urban freshwater.
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.