Ecological roles of the plastisphere in marine environments
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| Keywords |
Antibiotic resistance
Biofilms
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| Author keywords |
Plastic marine debris; Microbiome; Plastisphere |
| Abstract |
Plastic marine debris (PMD) is a global pollutant found in every marine ecosystem globally. Predicted to increase dramatically over the next decade, PMD provides a surface for microbial colonization in areas where substrate surfaces are rare. Upon entering seawater, plastics are colonized by microorganisms on a scale of minutes, subsequently forming biofilms or plastisphere microbial communities. Over the past decade, community composition and biofilm development have been major research foci regarding microbial interactions with PMD. Nevertheless, the ecological implications of microbial communities comprising epiplastic biofilms on endemic ecosystems are still poorly understood. In this chapter, the current state of knowledge is presented on the ecological roles of plastic-associated microbial assemblages in three areas: (1) the impacts of allochthonous biogenic factors in the plastisphere, such as nonindigenous species, harmful algal blooms, and antibiotic resistant genes, on the endemic ecosystem; (2) The dynamics of biofilm biomass carried by plastics, as a foreign carbon source, and its influences on the energy flux in marine ecosystems and potential effects on the organisms that graze it; and (3) The ability of biofilms to camouflage plastic particles and produce infochemicals, stimulating foraging behavior of marine biota, thus increasing the risk of plastic ingestion. Finally, future questions and research directions are posited to better understand ecological interactions between plastisphere communities and marine ecosystems. |
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