Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre

ABSTRACT Marine plastic debris has become a significant concern in ocean ecosystems worldwide. Little is known, however, about its influence on microbial community structure and function. In 2008, we surveyed microbial communities and metabolic activities in seawater and on plastic on an oceanograph...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales:	Jessica A. Bryant, Tara M. Clemente, Donn A. Viviani, Allison A. Fong, Kimberley A. Thomas, Paul Kemp, David M. Karl, Angelicque E. White, Edward F. DeLong
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	American Society for Microbiology 2016
Materias:	North Pacific Gyre biofilms microbial communities microplastics Microbiology QR1-502
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/6b415c3f9ed442be95d43d858c25fc79
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:6b415c3f9ed442be95d43d858c25fc79
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:6b415c3f9ed442be95d43d858c25fc792021-12-02T19:47:34ZDiversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre10.1128/mSystems.00024-162379-5077https://doaj.org/article/6b415c3f9ed442be95d43d858c25fc792016-06-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSystems.00024-16https://doaj.org/toc/2379-5077ABSTRACT Marine plastic debris has become a significant concern in ocean ecosystems worldwide. Little is known, however, about its influence on microbial community structure and function. In 2008, we surveyed microbial communities and metabolic activities in seawater and on plastic on an oceanographic expedition through the “great Pacific garbage patch.” The concentration of plastic particles in surface seawater within different size classes (2 to 5 mm and >5 mm) ranged from 0.35 to 3.7 particles m−3 across sampling stations. These densities and the particle size distribution were consistent with previous values reported in the North Pacific Ocean. Net community oxygen production (NCP = gross primary production − community respiration) on plastic debris was positive and so net autotrophic, whereas NCP in bulk seawater was close to zero. Scanning electron microscopy and metagenomic sequencing of plastic-attached communities revealed the dominance of a few metazoan taxa and a diverse assemblage of photoautotrophic and heterotrophic protists and bacteria. Bryozoa, Cyanobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes dominated all plastic particles, regardless of particle size. Bacteria inhabiting plastic were taxonomically distinct from the surrounding picoplankton and appeared well adapted to a surface-associated lifestyle. Genes with significantly higher abundances among plastic-attached bacteria included che genes, secretion system genes, and nifH genes, suggesting enrichment for chemotaxis, frequent cell-to-cell interactions, and nitrogen fixation. In aggregate, our findings suggest that plastic debris forms a habitat for complex microbial assemblages that have lifestyles, metabolic pathways, and biogeochemical activities that are distinct from those of free-living planktonic microbial communities. IMPORTANCE Marine plastic debris is a growing concern that has captured the general public’s attention. While the negative impacts of plastic debris on oceanic macrobiota, including mammals and birds, are well documented, little is known about its influence on smaller marine residents, including microbes that have key roles in ocean biogeochemistry. Our work provides a new perspective on microbial communities inhabiting microplastics that includes its effect on microbial biogeochemical activities and a description of the cross-domain communities inhabiting plastic particles. This study is among the first molecular ecology, plastic debris biota surveys in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. It has identified fundamental differences in the functional potential and taxonomic composition of plastic-associated microbes versus planktonic microbes found in the surrounding open-ocean habitat. Author Video: An author video summary of this article is available.Jessica A. BryantTara M. ClementeDonn A. VivianiAllison A. FongKimberley A. ThomasPaul KempDavid M. KarlAngelicque E. WhiteEdward F. DeLongAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticleNorth Pacific Gyrebiofilmsmicrobial communitiesmicroplasticsMicrobiologyQR1-502ENmSystems, Vol 1, Iss 3 (2016)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	North Pacific Gyre biofilms microbial communities microplastics Microbiology QR1-502
spellingShingle	North Pacific Gyre biofilms microbial communities microplastics Microbiology QR1-502 Jessica A. Bryant Tara M. Clemente Donn A. Viviani Allison A. Fong Kimberley A. Thomas Paul Kemp David M. Karl Angelicque E. White Edward F. DeLong Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre
description	ABSTRACT Marine plastic debris has become a significant concern in ocean ecosystems worldwide. Little is known, however, about its influence on microbial community structure and function. In 2008, we surveyed microbial communities and metabolic activities in seawater and on plastic on an oceanographic expedition through the “great Pacific garbage patch.” The concentration of plastic particles in surface seawater within different size classes (2 to 5 mm and >5 mm) ranged from 0.35 to 3.7 particles m−3 across sampling stations. These densities and the particle size distribution were consistent with previous values reported in the North Pacific Ocean. Net community oxygen production (NCP = gross primary production − community respiration) on plastic debris was positive and so net autotrophic, whereas NCP in bulk seawater was close to zero. Scanning electron microscopy and metagenomic sequencing of plastic-attached communities revealed the dominance of a few metazoan taxa and a diverse assemblage of photoautotrophic and heterotrophic protists and bacteria. Bryozoa, Cyanobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes dominated all plastic particles, regardless of particle size. Bacteria inhabiting plastic were taxonomically distinct from the surrounding picoplankton and appeared well adapted to a surface-associated lifestyle. Genes with significantly higher abundances among plastic-attached bacteria included che genes, secretion system genes, and nifH genes, suggesting enrichment for chemotaxis, frequent cell-to-cell interactions, and nitrogen fixation. In aggregate, our findings suggest that plastic debris forms a habitat for complex microbial assemblages that have lifestyles, metabolic pathways, and biogeochemical activities that are distinct from those of free-living planktonic microbial communities. IMPORTANCE Marine plastic debris is a growing concern that has captured the general public’s attention. While the negative impacts of plastic debris on oceanic macrobiota, including mammals and birds, are well documented, little is known about its influence on smaller marine residents, including microbes that have key roles in ocean biogeochemistry. Our work provides a new perspective on microbial communities inhabiting microplastics that includes its effect on microbial biogeochemical activities and a description of the cross-domain communities inhabiting plastic particles. This study is among the first molecular ecology, plastic debris biota surveys in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. It has identified fundamental differences in the functional potential and taxonomic composition of plastic-associated microbes versus planktonic microbes found in the surrounding open-ocean habitat. Author Video: An author video summary of this article is available.
format	article
author	Jessica A. Bryant Tara M. Clemente Donn A. Viviani Allison A. Fong Kimberley A. Thomas Paul Kemp David M. Karl Angelicque E. White Edward F. DeLong
author_facet	Jessica A. Bryant Tara M. Clemente Donn A. Viviani Allison A. Fong Kimberley A. Thomas Paul Kemp David M. Karl Angelicque E. White Edward F. DeLong
author_sort	Jessica A. Bryant
title	Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre
title_short	Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre
title_full	Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre
title_fullStr	Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre
title_full_unstemmed	Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre
title_sort	diversity and activity of communities inhabiting plastic debris in the north pacific gyre
publisher	American Society for Microbiology
publishDate	2016
url	https://doaj.org/article/6b415c3f9ed442be95d43d858c25fc79
work_keys_str_mv	AT jessicaabryant diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT taramclemente diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT donnaviviani diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT allisonafong diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT kimberleyathomas diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT paulkemp diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT davidmkarl diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT angelicqueewhite diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre AT edwardfdelong diversityandactivityofcommunitiesinhabitingplasticdebrisinthenorthpacificgyre
_version_	1718375966073421824

Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre

Ejemplares similares