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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Ecological Rolesand Shared Microbes Differentiatethe Plastisphere from Natural Particle-Associated Microbiomes in UrbanRivers
ClearEcological Rolesand Shared Microbes Differentiatethe Plastisphere from Natural Particle-Associated Microbiomes in UrbanRivers
This metagenomics study across ten urban rivers confirmed that the plastisphere shares broad taxonomic and functional similarities with microbiomes on natural particles, but exhibits unique ecological roles through specialist taxa. These differences may amplify the plastisphere's capacity for nutrient cycling and potentially harbor pathogens or antibiotic resistance genes.
Ecological Roles and Shared Microbes Differentiate the Plastisphere from Natural Particle-Associated Microbiomes in Urban Rivers
Researchers compared the microbial communities living on microplastics versus natural particles in ten urban river systems. While the two communities shared many similarities, the microplastic-associated community, known as the plastisphere, harbored distinct bacteria with specialized abilities to break down complex carbon compounds. The study suggests that microplastics in rivers create unique microbial habitats that may influence nutrient cycling and pollutant degradation differently than natural particles.
Microplastic is an Abundant and Distinct Microbial Habitat in an Urban River
Researchers demonstrated that microplastic surfaces in an urban river host a microbial community that is distinct from surrounding water and sediment communities, establishing microplastic as an abundant and ecologically distinct habitat for river microorganisms.
Plastisphere as a unique metabolic hotspot in river water: Impact of plastic substrate biodegradability
A study of river water found that microplastic surfaces — even from tiny 100-micrometer particles — host distinct microbial communities called plastispheres that function as metabolic hotspots, with richer carbon and nitrogen cycling activity than the surrounding water. The biodegradability of the plastic substrate influenced which microbes colonized it and how they interacted, with biodegradable plastics supporting different communities than conventional plastics. This matters because plastisphere microbes can include potential pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and they alter the ecological function of freshwater environments.
Deciphering the distinct successional patterns and potential roles of abundant and rare microbial taxa of urban riverine plastisphere
Researchers examined how microbial communities colonize microplastics in urban river environments, distinguishing between abundant and rare bacterial species. The study found that rare taxa played critical roles in maintaining community stability on plastic surfaces, while abundant taxa drove community succession, and both groups contributed to nutrient cycling functions.
Plastisphere in freshwaters: An emerging concern
This review introduced the concept of the freshwater plastisphere - the microbial community colonizing plastic debris in rivers and lakes - and found that freshwater plastisphere communities are compositionally distinct from marine ones and from ambient water microbiomes, with implications for pathogen dispersal and plastic degradation in inland waters.
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.
Distinctive patterns of bacterial community succession in the riverine micro-plastisphere in view of biofilm development and ecological niches
Scientists studied how bacterial communities develop on microplastics versus natural materials in river water and found that plastics support a distinct pattern of microbial colonization. The research identified specific bacteria capable of degrading microplastics and revealed that competition among microbes on plastic surfaces follows unexpected patterns compared to natural substrates.
From rivers to marine environments: A constantly evolving microbial community within the plastisphere
Researchers sampled 107 plastic pieces across four aquatic ecosystems in southern France and found that the sampling location and polymer chemistry were the strongest drivers of plastisphere microbial community composition, while only 11% of samples showed elevated Vibrio pathogen levels compared to surrounding water.
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.
Plastic substrate and residual time of microplastics in the urban river shape the composition and structure of bacterial communities in plastisphere
Researchers conducted an in-site incubation experiment in an urban river using microplastics from three plastic product types (garbage bags, shopping bags, and plastic bottles), finding that both plastic substrate type and incubation time shaped the bacterial communities colonizing the plastisphere. Different plastic products harbored distinct microbial communities, with potential implications for the spread of plastic-associated microorganisms in urban freshwater.
Microbial community niches on microplastics and prioritized environmental factors under various urban riverine conditions
Researchers manipulated organic content, salinity, and dissolved oxygen in bioreactors to assess which environmental factors most strongly shaped microbial communities colonizing microplastics in urban rivers. Dissolved oxygen and organic carbon content were identified as priority drivers of plastisphere community composition, with implications for predicting pathogen enrichment on MPs across river conditions.
Uniqueness and Dependence of Bacterial Communities on Microplastics: Comparison with Water, Sediment, and Soil
Researchers compared bacterial communities on microplastics with those in water, sediment, and soil in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, finding that microplastic-associated communities are unique in composition and ecological function compared to surrounding environments.
Viral diversity and potential environmental risk in microplastic at watershed scale: Evidence from metagenomic analysis of plastisphere
Metagenomic analysis of plastisphere communities on microplastics collected from five freshwater sites revealed diverse viral communities including phages and potential animal pathogens, with plastic-associated viromes differing from those in surrounding water. The study identifies microplastics as previously overlooked carriers of viral diversity and potential environmental health risks in aquatic ecosystems.
Untargeted metabolomic insights into plastisphere communities in European rivers
Researchers used untargeted metabolomics to characterize plastisphere microbial communities colonizing polyethylene-based plastic pellets in European rivers, simulating microplastic transport between freshwater and marine ecosystems to understand how the plastisphere microbiome and its metabolic outputs shift across environmental transitions.
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.
Microbial Dynamics on Different Microplastics in Coastal Urban Aquatic Ecosystems: The Critical Roles of Extracellular Polymeric Substances
Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastics in urban coastal waters, forming distinct ecosystems known as plastispheres. They found that the type of plastic significantly shaped which bacteria grew on it and how much sticky extracellular material they produced. Understanding these microbial communities on microplastics matters because they can harbor harmful bacteria and influence how pollutants move through aquatic environments.
Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions
Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.
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.
Comparative analysis of microplastic and microbial communities in varied aquatic environments: Disparities in occurrence, interconnections, and ecological implications
Comparative surveys of microplastics and associated microbial communities across river, reservoir, and bay environments in the Dongjiang watershed found that MP abundance and microbial community composition differed significantly by water type, with MP surfaces hosting distinct microbial assemblages.