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Article Tier 2

Ecology of the plastisphere

This review explores the plastisphere, the diverse microbial community that colonizes plastic debris in the ocean, which now spans multiple biomes on Earth. Researchers examine how microplastics serve as novel substrates for microbial colonization and may facilitate the dispersal of microorganisms, including potentially harmful species, across aquatic ecosystems. The study highlights key questions about whether plastics harbor a unique core microbial community distinct from natural surfaces.

2020 Nature Reviews Microbiology 1179 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastisphere - a new habitat of microbial community: Composition, structure and ecological consequences

This review examines the plastisphere — microbial communities colonizing microplastics — covering the composition and structure of plastisphere microbiomes across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments and discussing ecological consequences including pathogen dispersal.

2025 Sustainable Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastisphere microbiome: Methodology, diversity, and functionality

This review explores the plastisphere, the community of microorganisms that colonize plastic debris in the environment. The authors cover methods for studying these microbial communities, the diversity of organisms found living on plastics, and their functional roles including potential plastic degradation and pathogen harboring. Understanding the plastisphere is important because these microbial communities can influence how plastics break down and what health risks plastic pollution may pose.

2023 iMeta 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Surfing and dining on the “plastisphere”: Microbial life on plastic marine debris

This review examines the microbial communities — the "plastisphere" — that colonize floating plastic debris in the ocean, discussing how these biofilms form, who lives in them, and what risks they may pose to marine ecosystems and human health. The unique chemistry and buoyancy of plastic creates a novel habitat that can transport potentially harmful microbes across ocean basins.

2017 Advances in Oceanography and Limnology 62 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 465 citations
Article Tier 2

Freshwater plastisphere: a review on biodiversity, risks, and biodegradation potential with implications for the aquatic ecosystem health

This review examines the communities of microbes that colonize plastic debris in freshwater environments, known as the "plastisphere." These microbial communities include potentially dangerous bacteria and organisms that can carry antibiotic resistance genes, meaning plastic pollution may serve as a vehicle for spreading pathogens and drug-resistant infections through water systems that people rely on.

2024 Frontiers in Microbiology 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial hitchhikers on marine plastic debris: Human exposure risks at bathing waters and beach environments.

This review examines how marine plastic debris serves as a habitat for microbial communities including potential pathogens, a phenomenon called the Plastisphere, and assesses the human health risks when plastic-associated microbes reach bathing waters and beaches. The authors conclude that plastic litter can amplify microbial hazards to public health in coastal recreation areas.

2016 Marine environmental research
Article Tier 2

The biogeography of the Plastisphere: implications for policy

This review examined the biogeography of the "plastisphere" — the communities of microorganisms living on floating plastic debris — and discussed its implications for marine policy. Because plastic surfaces carry unique, potentially invasive microbial communities across ocean basins, the authors argue that plastic pollution represents a vector for biological invasions with policy significance.

2015 Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 387 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПОВЕДЕНИЯ МИКРОПЛАТИКА В ВОДНОЙ СРЕДЕ: ПЛАСТИСФЕРА - НОВАЯ МОРСКАЯ ЭКОСИСТЕМА

This review examines the behavior of microplastics in aquatic environments with a focus on the Plastisphere - microbial communities colonizing plastic surfaces that form a novel marine ecosystem. The review synthesizes information on Plastisphere formation mechanisms, distribution in water, risks associated with pathogen and pollutant transport, and potential applications for removing microplastics from contaminated water.

2025 Проблемы окружающей среды и природных ресурсов
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Water Research 311 citations
Article Tier 2

Biofilms on Plastic Debris and the Microbiome

This review synthesizes knowledge on biofilms that colonize plastic debris in the ocean, known as the plastisphere, covering how microbial communities are structured and how they interact with the surrounding environment. The authors discuss implications for nutrient cycling, pathogen transport, and polymer degradation.

2024 Microorganisms 5 citations
Article Tier 2

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."

2016 mSystems 462 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Health Impact of Plastisphere

This review examines the growing body of research on plastisphere ecosystems in aquatic environments including rivers, lakes, and estuaries, discussing microbial community composition on plastic surfaces and the ecological consequences for freshwater biodiversity and function.

2025
Article Tier 2

Colonization of Plastic Marine Debris

This review examines a decade of research on the 'Plastisphere,' the thin microbial community that colonizes plastic marine debris, addressing what is known, unknown, and possibly unknowable about this ecosystem. It highlights the shift from early bacteria-focused studies toward broader recognition of eukaryotes and complex microbial consortia including symbiotic, parasitic, and predator-prey relationships shaping Plastisphere structure.

2022 8 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial colonization and degradation of marine microplastics in the plastisphere: A review

This review explores the "plastisphere" — the community of microorganisms that colonize microplastics floating in the ocean. Researchers found that bacteria, fungi, algae, and other microbes form unique biofilm communities on plastic surfaces, some of which can partially degrade the plastic while others include potentially harmful pathogens. Understanding these microbial communities is important for assessing both the ecological risks and possible bioremediation potential of marine microplastic pollution.

2023 Frontiers in Microbiology 189 citations
Article Tier 2

Dynamics, ecological implications, and mitigation strategies of the ocean plastisphere

This review examines how plastic debris accumulates in marine environments, fragmenting into micro- and nanoplastics through physical, chemical, and biological processes. Researchers found that plastic surfaces serve as substrates for microbial colonization, forming complex biofilm communities known as the plastisphere, which can affect marine organisms through ingestion and trophic transfer. The study highlights the need for coordinated global strategies combining policy, technology, and public awareness to reduce marine plastic pollution.

2026 Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Article Tier 2

Microbial colonization of microplastic particles in aquatic systems

This review examined how microplastic particles become colonized by diverse microbial communities in aquatic environments, forming the so-called plastisphere. The research highlights that microplastics create novel ecological niches and may facilitate the spread of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes in freshwater and marine systems.

2018 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Microbiome of the Marine Microplastisphere

This review examines the microbiome associated with microplastic particles in marine environments, known as the microplastisphere, describing it as a dynamic and complex ecosystem with significant ecological implications. Researchers found that the microplastisphere harbors distinct microbial communities distinct from surrounding seawater, with potential consequences for marine biodiversity and pollutant transport.

2025
Article Tier 2

Investigating the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces

Researchers investigated the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces, examining how microbial communities interact with plastic polymers in environmental settings. The study characterized the 'plastisphere' — the community of microorganisms that colonize microplastic surfaces — and assessed the extent to which microbial activity contributes to plastic degradation in natural environments.

2024
Article Tier 2

Plastisphere as a Vector for Pathogenic Microbes and Antibiotic Resistance

This review examines how the plastisphere, the microbial community that colonizes plastic surfaces, serves as a vector for pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Researchers found that microplastics can adsorb antibiotics and facilitate higher rates of plasmid transfer among bacteria, with potentially pathogenic species carrying multi-drug resistance genes identified on plastic surfaces.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as a New Ecological Niche For Multispecies Microbial Biofilms within the Plastisphere

This review examines microplastics as a novel ecological niche — the 'plastisphere' — analyzing how multispecies microbial biofilms colonize plastic surfaces, differ from surrounding environmental communities, and may facilitate biodegradation and horizontal gene transfer.

2022 Microbiology 29 citations