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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Biofilms in plastisphere from freshwater wetlands: Biofilm formation, bacterial community assembly, and biogeochemical cycles
ClearMicroplastic biofilms as potential hotspots for plastic biodegradation and nitrogen cycling: a metagenomic perspective
Researchers used genetic analysis to study the microbial communities that form biofilms on different types of microplastics in an estuarine environment. They found that these plastic-associated communities contained genes for both plastic degradation and nitrogen cycling, suggesting the biofilms may play dual roles in the ecosystem. The study indicates that microplastic surfaces in waterways create unique microbial habitats that could influence both pollution breakdown and nutrient processing.
Characteristics analysis of plastisphere biofilm and effect of aging products on nitrogen metabolizing flora in microcosm wetlands experiment
Researchers placed three types of plastic in miniature constructed wetlands for 180 days and tracked how they aged and affected microbial communities. The plastics degraded at different rates, with PVC developing new chemical groups and all surfaces becoming less water-repellent as bacteria colonized them. The plastic surfaces altered nitrogen-processing bacteria in the wetland water, suggesting microplastics can disrupt nutrient cycling in natural wetland ecosystems.
Distinct microbial communities in the microplastisphere of inland wetlands: Diversity, composition, co-occurrence networks, and functions.
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.
Combined environmental pressure induces unique assembly patterns of micro-plastisphere biofilm microbial communities in constructed wetlands
Researchers studied how biofilm communities form on microplastic surfaces within constructed wetlands used for wastewater treatment. They found that environmental stressors like antibiotics and organic matter created unique microbial communities on microplastics that differed from those on natural surfaces. The study suggests that constructed wetlands, while effective at trapping microplastics, may also foster distinct microbial ecosystems on plastic surfaces that warrant further investigation.
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.
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.
Edaphic Gradients Reshape Microbial Microenclaves Assembly within Plastispheres
Researchers sampled microplastics and surrounding soils at 27 urban wetland sites in China to study how bacteria colonize plastic surfaces, forming communities known as plastispheres. They found that plastispheres selectively recruit soil bacteria but harbor only 52-69% of the bacterial diversity found in adjacent soil. The study reveals that soil nutrient levels and moisture conditions strongly influence how these microplastic-associated microbial communities assemble.
Microplastics: New substrates for heterotrophic activity contribute to altering organic matter cycles in aquatic ecosystems
This study demonstrated that heterotrophic bacteria colonizing microplastic surfaces in aquatic ecosystems have distinct metabolic capabilities and can process organic matter at rates different from planktonic bacteria. The findings suggest that the plastisphere — the microbial community on plastic surfaces — may alter organic matter cycling in aquatic environments as microplastic abundance grows.
Microbial carbon metabolic functions of biofilms on plastic debris influenced by the substrate types and environmental factors
Researchers compared the microbial communities growing as biofilms on plastic debris (PVC and polyethylene) versus natural cobblestone surfaces in four Chinese freshwater ecosystems, finding that plastics host higher biomass and distinct carbon metabolism patterns compared to natural surfaces. Environmental factors like water chemistry had a stronger influence on these microbial communities than the type of surface, suggesting that the 'plastisphere' — the unique ecological niche on plastic — interacts with surrounding conditions to shape how carbon cycles in freshwater.
The plastisphere ecology: Assessing the impact of different pollution sources on microbial community composition, function and assembly in aquatic ecosystems
Researchers studied the microbial communities living on microplastic surfaces (called the plastisphere) across four different aquatic sites and found that plastics host a distinctly different mix of microbes than the surrounding water, shaped by local pollution sources. These plastic-surface microbes also carry more antibiotic resistance genes and show greater potential for breaking down plastics, making the plastisphere both a health concern and a potential bioremediation resource.
Distinct microbial metabolic activities of biofilms colonizing microplastics in three freshwater ecosystems
Biofilms growing on microplastics in three freshwater ecosystems showed distinct patterns of carbon metabolism compared to biofilms on glass, with PET-colonizing biofilms showing lower metabolic diversity. Environmental factors like nutrient levels and turbidity also shaped biofilm function, suggesting microplastics alter microbial-mediated carbon cycling in rivers and lakes.
Diatom and macroinvertebrate communities dynamic: a co-occurrence pattern analysis on plastic substrates
Researchers examined how diatoms and invertebrates colonize plastic debris in wetlands, finding that plastic surfaces host distinct biological communities compared to natural substrates. This suggests that plastic pollution in wetlands disrupts natural ecosystem processes beyond direct physical harm to wildlife.
Microplastic residues in wetland ecosystems: Do they truly threaten the plant-microbe-soil system?
Researchers used a controlled pot experiment to assess microplastic effects on wetland plant growth, soil microbial communities, and nutrient cycling, finding that MPs altered soil enzyme activity and shifted bacterial community composition but had variable effects on plant growth depending on plastic type.
Aquatic Biofilms and Plastisphere
This review examined aquatic biofilms and plastisphere communities that colonize microplastic surfaces, discussing how plastic substrates select for distinct microbial assemblages and may harbor pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes.
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.
Lacustrine plastisphere: Distinct succession and assembly processes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities and role of site, time, and polymer types
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.
Microplastic biofilm in fresh- and wastewater as a function of microparticle type and size class
Researchers compared the biofilm communities that form on microplastics of different types and sizes in both freshwater and wastewater, finding that biofilm composition was influenced by particle type, size, and water source. These findings advance understanding of the plastisphere — the microbial community unique to plastic surfaces — and its potential role in spreading microorganism-associated risks.
The Spatiotemporal Successions of Bacterial and Fungal Plastisphere Communities and Their Effects on Microplastic Degradation in Soil Ecosystems
Researchers tracked how bacterial and fungal communities colonize microplastic surfaces in soil over time, finding that the surrounding soil type had the strongest influence on which microbes grew on the plastics. The microbial communities on microplastics were less diverse and less stable than those in the surrounding soil, but they attracted microbes with a higher capacity to break down organic carbon. The study suggests that microplastic surfaces become hotspots for carbon metabolism in soil ecosystems.
Effects of microplastics on the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments of a freshwater lake
Researchers examined how microplastics alter the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments, finding that plastic exposure shifted community composition and reduced overall diversity compared to plastic-free controls. Functional analysis showed impaired denitrification and organic matter decomposition in microplastic-contaminated sediments, indicating ecosystem-level consequences for nutrient cycling.
Evaluation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities on microplastic‐associated biofilms in marine and freshwater environments
Researchers analyzed microbial biofilm communities on microplastic surfaces in both marine and freshwater environments, finding that plastic-associated biofilms harbor distinct prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities with potential roles in plastic biodegradation.
Microbial biofilm formation and community structure on low-density polyethylene microparticles in lake water microcosms
Researchers investigated biofilm formation on low-density polyethylene microparticles in lake water microcosms, finding that microplastic surfaces supported distinct and dynamic microbial communities that differed from those in the surrounding water.
[Distribution Characteristics of Microplastic Surface Bacterial Communities Under Flooded and Non-flooded Conditions in Nanjishan Wetland of Poyang Lake].
A 16S sequencing study of bacterial communities in the Poyang Lake wetland found that microbial diversity on microplastic surfaces was lower than in surrounding sediment and water, with the microplastic biofilm community shifting between sediment-like (non-flooded) and water-like (flooded) profiles depending on water level. The plastisphere communities were dominated by distinct bacterial genera including elevated Proteobacteria, suggesting that microplastics select for specific microbial assemblages in natural wetland ecosystems.
Biofilms on plastic litter in an urban river: Community composition and activity vary by substrate type
Researchers examined biofilms colonizing plastic litter versus natural surfaces in an urban river, finding that community composition and metabolic activity vary by substrate type, with plastic surfaces hosting distinct microbial communities that may influence plastic degradation rates.
Marine Microbial Assemblages on Microplastics: Diversity, Adaptation, and Role in Degradation
This review examines microbial communities that colonize microplastics in the ocean, collectively known as the plastisphere. Researchers found that these biofilms differ significantly from those on natural surfaces and may include pathogenic bacteria and species capable of partially degrading plastics. The study highlights both the ecological risks of microplastics as vectors for harmful microbes and the potential for harnessing plastic-degrading organisms.