We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Distinct microbial communities in the microplastisphere of inland wetlands: Diversity, composition, co-occurrence networks, and functions.
Summary
Researchers collected samples from different inland wetland types to characterize the microbial communities colonizing plastic surfaces (the microplastisphere), finding distinct bacterial and fungal communities compared to surrounding soils. Community composition varied by wetland type and plastic surface, highlighting the ecological diversity of plastic-associated microbiomes in freshwater habitats.
Plastic pollution has emerged as a growing global environmental challenge. However, knowledge regarding microbial ecological patterns in the plastisphere of inland wetland ecosystems remains limited. In this study, surrounding soil, macroplastisphere, and microplastisphere samples were collected from different types of inland wetlands. Bacterial and fungal communities in the plastisphere and surrounding soil were investigated using 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing, respectively. Results showed that the α-diversity of bacterial communities in both the macroplastisphere and microplastisphere was significantly lower than that in the surrounding soil across all three wetland types. The α-diversity of fungal communities was lower in the microplastisphere than in both the macroplastisphere and the surrounding soil. At the amplicon sequence variant (ASV) level, certain members of Sphingomonas, Nocardioides, Nothophoma, and Pyrenochaetopsis were exclusively detected in the microplastisphere and absent from both surrounding soil and the macroplastisphere. Network analysis indicated that the bacterial network complexity in the microplastisphere was lower, with higher modularity compared to surrounding soil and the macroplastisphere. The metabolic pathways belonging to human diseases category were significantly enriched in the microplastisphere bacterial communities. In summary, the microplastisphere could form a distinct microbial community that differs significantly from those in soil and the macroplastisphere.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
The ecology of the plastisphere: Microbial composition, function, assembly, and network in the freshwater and seawater ecosystems
Researchers studied the communities of bacteria and fungi that colonize microplastic surfaces in freshwater and seawater, forming what scientists call the plastisphere. These microplastic-associated communities were distinctly different from those in surrounding water, and included a higher proportion of disease-causing organisms and species involved in pollutant degradation. The findings suggest that microplastics create new habitats that can harbor pathogens and alter natural microbial ecosystems in ways that may affect water quality and human health.
Biofilms in plastisphere from freshwater wetlands: Biofilm formation, bacterial community assembly, and biogeochemical cycles
Researchers studied how bacteria form biofilms on microplastic surfaces in freshwater wetlands and found that these plastic-associated communities differ significantly from natural soil bacteria. The microplastic biofilms had lower diversity but higher activity in carbon processing and nitrogen cycling genes. This means microplastics in wetlands can alter natural nutrient cycles, potentially affecting water quality in ecosystems that many communities rely on.
Niche vs. habitat: Insights of aging microplastics and wetland types on bacterial community assembly
Researchers studied how bacterial communities assemble on microplastic surfaces (plastispheres) versus surrounding soil in three types of wetlands using low-density polyethylene. They found that wetland habitat type had a stronger influence on bacterial diversity patterns than whether the plastic was virgin or aged, with plastisphere communities showing lower diversity and more stochastic assembly compared to soil communities.
Dynamics and functions of microbial communities in the plastisphere in temperate coastal environments
Researchers explored microbial communities colonizing microplastics in coastal environments of Japan, comparing bacterial and fungal communities across different plastic types, water, sediment, and sand. The study found that while microbial communities varied by sample type and location rather than plastic shape, microplastics harbored hydrocarbon-degrading organisms as well as potential pathogens, highlighting the ecological significance of plastic-associated biofilms.
In Situ Investigation of Plastic-Associated Bacterial Communities in a Freshwater Lake of Hungary
Researchers investigated plastic-associated bacterial communities on microplastic surfaces in a Hungarian freshwater lake, finding that the plastisphere harbored distinct microbial communities compared to surrounding water, including potential pathogens and plastic-degrading bacteria.