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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Eukaryotic diversity of marine biofouling from coastal to offshore areas
ClearEvaluation 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.
The Eukaryotic Life on Microplastics in Brackish Ecosystems
Researchers investigated the eukaryotic organisms that colonize microplastic surfaces in brackish waters of the Baltic Sea region using genetic sequencing. They found more than 500 different taxa on microplastic surfaces, but the communities were distinct from those on natural wood surfaces or in surrounding water, with lower overall diversity. Notably, the potentially harmful dinoflagellate Pfiesteria was enriched on microplastic surfaces, suggesting that plastic debris could serve as a vehicle for spreading harmful organisms in aquatic ecosystems.
Substrate-driven microbial diversity and functional potential of plastisphere biofilms in a dynamic coastal ecosystem of northeastern Taiwan
Researchers used full-length 16S rRNA sequencing to compare microbial communities on floating microplastics, natural wood debris, and surface seawater from ten coastal sites in Taiwan, finding that microplastics harbor unique and highly diverse microbial assemblages distinct from those on natural surfaces.
Fungal Diversity and Dynamics during Long-Term Immersion of Conventional and Biodegradable Plastics in the Marine Environment
Metabarcoding of fungi colonizing plastic debris in marine environments found fungal communities on plastics were distinct from surrounding seawater and differed between conventional and biodegradable polymers, with a colonization transition around 30-40 days suggesting a shift from biofilm formation to biofouling communities.
Comparative analysis of eukaryotic microbial communities associated with Acropora formosa, sediment, and seawater in a coral reef ecosystem of Whale island, Nha Trang bay, Vietnam
This study examined eukaryotic microbial communities associated with coral, sediment, and seawater in a Vietnamese coral reef ecosystem. Coral reef microbiomes are sensitive to environmental stressors including microplastic contamination, which can alter microbial community composition.
Genomic and proteomic profiles of biofilms on microplastics are decoupled from artificial surface properties
Genomic and proteomic analysis of biofilms on marine microplastics showed that community composition and functional profiles were primarily shaped by environmental conditions rather than the specific surface properties of the plastic substrate.
Marine biofouling organisms on macro and microplastics
This thesis reviewed biofouling organisms — bacteria, algae, and invertebrates — that colonize both macro and microplastics in marine environments. Biofouling communities on plastic surfaces change the buoyancy and transport of plastic particles and can carry invasive species to new locations.
Microbial Communities on Plastic Polymers in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers collected floating microplastics from a bay in the Mediterranean and analyzed their bacterial biofilm communities using 16S rRNA sequencing, finding that microbial communities on plastics were distinct from surrounding seawater and differed between polymer types.
Diverse groups of fungi are associated with plastics in the surface waters of the Western South Atlantic and the Antarctic Peninsula
DNA metabarcoding of fungi on marine plastic debris from the Western South Atlantic and Antarctic Peninsula revealed 64 orders across eight fungal phyla, including many taxa not previously described on plastic surfaces. The study is the first to characterize the plastic-associated fungal communities of the Southern Hemisphere, highlighting the unknown ecological roles of plastic-colonizing fungi.
Exploring the Composition and Functions of Plastic Microbiome Using Whole-Genome Sequencing
Whole-genome sequencing of microbial biofilms on four types of marine microplastics revealed that plastic surfaces harbor distinct microbial communities with unique functional potential, including enrichment of Vibrio species with pathogenic and plastic-degrading capabilities.
Analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon data illuminates the major role of environment in determining the marine plastisphere microbial communities
Researchers analysed 16S rRNA amplicon data from marine plastisphere communities, finding that environmental factors play the dominant role in determining the microbial communities that colonise microplastic surfaces in marine ecosystems.
Marine microbial biofilms on diverse abiotic surfaces
This review provides an overview of how microbial biofilms form on various non-living surfaces in the ocean, including microplastics, seafloor sediments, and submerged structures. Researchers describe how these surface-attached microbial communities have unique compositions and functions that influence ocean ecology and biochemical processes. The study also examines how biofilms contribute to biocorrosion and biofouling, highlighting their broad significance for both natural marine systems and human-built infrastructure.
“Omics” Techniques Used in Marine Biofouling Studies
This review analyzes recent applications of omics techniques including metagenomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics in the study of marine biofouling organisms and communities. The review emphasizes metagenomics and proteomics approaches, surveys publications using multi-omics combinations, and outlines future directions for environmental omics research in understanding biofouling dynamics on wetted surfaces.
Novel functional insights into the microbiome inhabiting marine plastic debris: critical considerations to counteract the challenges of thin biofilms using multi-omics and comparative metaproteomics.
Researchers developed a comprehensive metaproteomics approach to study the microbial communities living on the surface of marine plastic debris, known as the plastisphere. The study reveals how microbes on plastic interact with each other and their environment, with implications for understanding how plastic-colonizing bacteria spread through the ocean.
Fouling assemblage of benthic plastic debris collected from Mersin Bay, NE Levantine coast of Turkey
Researchers collected and analyzed plastic debris and associated biofouling communities from Mersin Bay in the eastern Mediterranean, identifying nine plastic polymer types and 17 fouling species across six phyla, demonstrating that plastic debris in this heavily polluted region supports diverse biological communities comparable to natural hard substrates.
Marine biofouling organisms on beached, buoyant and benthic plastic debris in the Catalan Sea
Fouling communities colonizing beached, floating, and benthic plastic debris were examined in the Catalan Sea, revealing differences in community composition linked to plastic substrate location and environmental conditions. The study confirms that plastic debris acts as a dispersal vector for marine fouling organisms across different depth zones in the western Mediterranean.
Microbes on a Bottle: Substrate, Season and Geography Influence Community Composition of Microbes Colonizing Marine Plastic Debris
Researchers studied bacterial communities colonizing plastic bottles in marine environments, finding that substrate type, season, and geographic location all influenced which microbes colonized the plastic surface.
Spatial and seasonal variation in diversity and structure of microbial biofilms on marine plastics in Northern European waters
Researchers investigated how microbial biofilm communities on marine plastics vary by season, location, and plastic type in Northern European waters. The study found distinct spatial and seasonal patterns in plastisphere microbial communities on polyethylene terephthalate surfaces, providing insights into how plastic debris develops unique biological communities in marine environments.
Diversity and potential functional characteristics of phage communities colonizing microplastic biofilms
Researchers used metagenomics to characterize phage communities colonizing microplastic biofilms, discovering 240 distinct virus types across polypropylene, polyethylene, and PET plastics that differed from those on stone surfaces, suggesting microplastics host unique viral communities with potential ecological implications.
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.
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.
Marine microplastic-associated biofilms – a review
This review synthesizes research on biofilm communities forming on marine microplastics, covering their composition, formation dynamics, and potential consequences for both plastic fate and ocean microbiology. The authors highlight that plastic-associated biofilms can include pathogens and toxin producers, and that the plastisphere community differs meaningfully from the surrounding seawater microbiome.
Plastics select for distinct early colonizing microbial populations with reproducible traits across environmental gradients
Incubation of virgin microplastics across oceanic transects showed early colonization was reproducibly dominated by Alteromonadaceae with enriched genes for adhesion, biofilm formation, and hydrocarbon degradation, while mature plastic biofilms shifted to Rhodobacteraceae with genes for carbohydrate hydrolysis and photosynthesis.
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.