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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Differentiation of bacterial communities on five common plastics after six days of exposure to Caribbean coastal waters
ClearShort‐term plastisphere colonization dynamics across six plastic types
Researchers studied the short-term colonization dynamics of microbial communities (plastisphere) forming on six plastic polymer types submerged in marine waters in South Australia, finding polymer-type-specific differences in prokaryotic community composition over four weeks.
The structure and assembly mechanisms of plastisphere microbial community in natural marine environment
Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastic surfaces in natural marine environments over an eight-week period. They found that the composition of these plastic-associated microbial communities, known as the plastisphere, was shaped more by environmental conditions and time than by the specific type of plastic. The study provides new understanding of the ecological processes governing how microorganisms assemble on ocean plastic debris.
Environmental exposure more than plastic composition shapes marine microplastic‐associated bacterial communities in Pacific versus Caribbean field incubations
Researchers incubated six types of household plastic polymers in Pacific and Caribbean coastal waters to study the bacterial communities that form on microplastics. They found that geographic location and exposure time were far more important than plastic type in shaping these microbial communities. The study identified a core plastisphere of 57 bacterial variants common across all conditions, suggesting environmental context plays a bigger role than plastic composition in microplastic colonization.
Temporal succession of marine microbes drives plastisphere community convergence in subtropical coastal waters
Scientists tracked how microbial communities develop on four common plastic types submerged in subtropical coastal waters over 42 days. They found that the passage of time was a bigger driver of community composition than the type of plastic, with bacterial communities on different plastics becoming more similar as biofilms matured. However, these plastic-associated communities remained distinct from those floating freely in the water, suggesting plastics create unique microbial habitats in marine environments.
Diversity and succession of microbial communities on typical microplastics in Xincun Bay, a long-term mariculture tropical lagoon
Researchers tracked microbial community succession on polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene microplastics over 60 days in a tropical mariculture lagoon, finding that plastisphere bacterial diversity exceeded that of surrounding seawater and that community structure shifted significantly over time.
The composition of bacterial communities associated with plastic biofilms differs between different polymers and stages of biofilm succession
Researchers tracked bacterial community development on five different plastic types submerged in coastal waters over two months. They found that bacterial community composition varied by both plastic type and stage of colonization, with distinct early and late succession patterns. The study provides evidence that different plastics may host different microbial communities, which has implications for understanding how plastic pollution influences marine microbial ecology.
Enumeration of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in early-stage of biofilm formed on different plastic types
Researchers found that bacteria begin colonising common plastic surfaces — polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene — within hours of water exposure, forming measurable biofilms within three weeks. This matters because plastic debris in aquatic environments quickly becomes a habitat for microbes, potentially transporting pathogens or creating a "plastisphere" that could amplify the ecological risks of microplastic pollution.
Marine Plastic Debris: A New Surface for Microbial Colonization
This review examines the "Plastisphere" -- the community of microbes that rapidly colonizes plastic debris in the ocean -- covering biofilm development, potential biodegradation, and the hitchhiking of harmful bacteria. Researchers found that microbial communities on plastics do not dramatically differ from those on other inert surfaces, especially in mature biofilms. The study identifies key knowledge gaps and calls for more environmentally realistic research into how these plastic-associated microbes interact with marine ecosystems.
Plastisphere assemblages differ from the surrounding bacterial communities in transitional coastal environments
Researchers found that bacterial communities colonizing plastic particles (the plastisphere) in Portuguese estuarine and beach environments were significantly different from those in surrounding water and sediments, with plastic type and environmental conditions influencing microbial community composition.
Microbial colonization of microplastics in the Caribbean Sea
Researchers incubated six common plastic polymers in Caribbean waters for six weeks and found that bacterial biofilm communities were not significantly shaped by plastic type or exposure time, but eukaryotic communities (including distinctive diatom assemblages) were influenced by both factors. This suggests that microplastics act as selective habitats for some microbial groups but not others, with implications for understanding how plastics alter ocean microbial ecology.
Bacterial Abundance, Diversity and Activity During Long-Term Colonization of Non-biodegradable and Biodegradable Plastics in Seawater
Biofilm communities on conventional (polyethylene and polystyrene) and biodegradable plastics were tracked over 7 months of seawater immersion, finding highly abundant and diverse plastisphere communities on all polymer types but limited evidence of active plastic biodegradation under natural marine conditions.
Structural Diversity in Early-Stage Biofilm Formation on Microplastics Depends on Environmental Medium and Polymer Properties
This study examined the early stages of bacterial biofilm formation on different types of plastic surfaces in different environmental media, finding that both the growth medium and the polymer type influenced which microbial communities colonized the plastic. These plastic-associated biofilms (the plastisphere) can make microplastics more appealing to filter-feeding organisms that mistake them for food.
Relative Influence of Plastic Debris Size and Shape, Chemical Composition and Phytoplankton-Bacteria Interactions in Driving Seawater Plastisphere Abundance, Diversity and Activity
This study evaluated the relative influence of plastic debris size, shape, chemical composition, and environmental conditions on the microbial communities colonizing ocean plastics (the plastisphere). Results showed that multiple plastic properties and environmental factors jointly shape which microorganisms colonize plastic surfaces in the marine environment.
16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of the microbial community on microplastic samples from the North Atlantic and Great Pacific Garbage Patches
Researchers compared microbial communities living on microplastics collected from the North Atlantic and Great Pacific Garbage Patches, finding distinct plastisphere communities shaped by ocean region and plastic type. Understanding which microbes thrive on ocean plastic helps assess the risk of harmful or antibiotic-resistant bacteria spreading on plastic debris.
Evidence for selective bacterial community structuring on microplastics
Plastic substrates incubated in Baltic Sea water developed distinct bacterial communities that differed significantly from those on glass surfaces and from the surrounding water, with some plastic-colonizing taxa selected for regardless of polymer type. The study provides experimental evidence that plastic surfaces act as selective filters for microbial community assembly, contributing to the concept of a unique plastisphere.
An In Situ Study to Understand Community Structure of Estuarine Microbes on the Plastisphere
Researchers performed 16S rRNA sequencing on biofilms from three microplastic polymer types and glass bead controls deployed in Baltimore Inner Harbor over 28 days, finding that plastisphere communities were taxonomically distinct from free-living microbial communities but that polymer type did not significantly differentiate community composition, with Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, and sulfate-reducing bacteria among the notable colonizers.
Time-series incubations in a coastal environment illuminates the importance of early colonizers and the complexity of bacterial biofilm dynamics on marine plastics
Researchers used time-series incubations in a coastal marine environment to track plastisphere biofilm formation on microplastics, finding that early bacterial colonizers play a disproportionate role in shaping community dynamics and that biofilm composition is highly complex, varying with polymer type, incubation time, and surrounding environment.
Biodiversity of Microorganisms Colonizing the Surface of Polystyrene Samples Exposed to Different Aqueous Environments
Researchers examined which bacteria colonize polystyrene surfaces in seawater and industrial water, finding distinct microbial communities dominated by Alphaproteobacteria in seawater. Some of the colonizing bacteria have known plastic-degrading abilities, suggesting the plastisphere could be harnessed for bioremediation of plastic pollution.
Plastisphere on microplastics: In situ assays in an estuarine environment
This study examined how microbial biofilm communities (the plastisphere) form on polystyrene and nylon microplastics placed in a polluted estuary over 129 days. Researchers found that the plastisphere influenced metal accumulation and weathering of the microplastic surfaces, with different plastic types supporting distinct microbial communities.
Dynamics and implications of biofilm formation and community succession on floating marine plastic debris
Researchers examined how biofilms form on plastic debris in aquatic environments and how the resulting microbial communities evolve over time, finding that the plastisphere hosts distinct microbial assemblages including potential pathogens. The study has implications for understanding plastic debris as a vector for microbial dispersal.
Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre
Researchers collected and characterized the microbial communities living on plastic debris from the North Pacific garbage patch in 2008, finding distinct communities of bacteria and metabolic functions on plastic compared to surrounding seawater. The study was among the first to comprehensively document the biological colonization of ocean plastic debris and the concept of a "plastisphere."
Colonization Characteristics of Bacterial Communities on Plastic Debris Influenced by Environmental Factors and Polymer Types in the Haihe Estuary of Bohai Bay, China
Bacterial communities colonizing plastic debris in the Haihe Estuary of Bohai Bay, China, were shaped by both environmental factors (season, salinity, temperature) and the type of plastic polymer, with distinct microbial assemblages forming on different plastic surfaces. The results demonstrate that the "plastisphere" in estuarine environments is a dynamically structured microbial habitat.
Bacterial colonisation dynamics of household plastics in a coastal environment
This study tracked how quickly and what kinds of bacteria colonized common household plastics (including bottles, bags, and packaging) placed in a coastal estuary environment. Bacteria colonized all plastic types within days, and the communities that formed included potential human pathogens. Plastic-associated bacterial communities in coastal environments could pose public health risks through seafood contamination or contact with polluted water.
Microplastic bacterial communities in the Bay of Brest: Influence of polymer type and size
Researchers analyzed bacterial communities growing on microplastics collected from a coastal bay in France and found that the type of polymer influenced which bacteria colonized the surface. Different plastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene each hosted distinct microbial communities, though particle size had less influence. The study reveals that microplastics in the ocean serve as unique habitats for bacteria, which could have implications for how pollutants and pathogens are transported through marine environments.