Diversity and Activity of Communities Inhabiting Plastic Debris in the North Pacific Gyre.
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-3across 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, andBacteroidetesdominated 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 includedchegenes, secretion system genes, andnifHgenes, 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.IMPORTANCEMarine 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.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Jessica A
JA
Bryant
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Tara M
TM
Clemente
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Donn A
DA
Viviani
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Allison A
AA
Fong
Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Kimberley A
KA
Thomas
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Paul
P
Kemp
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
David M
DM
Karl
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
Angelicque E
AE
White
Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Edward F
EF
DeLong
North Pacific Gyre; biofilms; microbial communities; microplastics