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    The biogeography of the Plastisphere : implications for policy

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    Article (1.740Mb)
    Supplemental material (2.325Mb)
    Date
    2015-12
    Author
    Amaral-Zettler, Linda A.  Concept link
    Zettler, Erik R.  Concept link
    Slikas, Beth  Concept link
    Boyd, Gregory D.  Concept link
    Melvin, Donald W.  Concept link
    Morrall, Clare E.  Concept link
    Proskurowski, Giora  Concept link
    Mincer, Tracy J.  Concept link
    Metadata
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    Citable URI
    https://hdl.handle.net/1912/7709
    As published
    https://doi.org/10.1890/150017
    DOI
    10.1890/150017
    Abstract
    Microplastics (particles less than 5 mm) numerically dominate marine debris and occur from coastal waters to mid-ocean gyres, where surface circulation concentrates them. Given the prevalence of plastic marine debris (PMD) and the rise in plastic production, the impacts of plastic on marine ecosystems will likely increase. Microscopic life (the “Plastisphere”) thrives on these tiny floating “islands” of debris and can be transported long distances. Using next-generation DNA sequencing, we characterized bacterial communities from water and plastic samples from the North Pacific and North Atlantic subtropical gyres to determine whether the composition of different Plastisphere communities reflects their biogeographic origins. We found that these communities differed between ocean basins – and to a lesser extent between polymer types – and displayed latitudinal gradients in species richness. Our research reveals some of the impacts of microplastics on marine biodiversity, demonstrates that the effects and fate of PMD may vary considerably in different parts of the global ocean, and suggests that PMD mitigation will require regional management efforts.
    Description
    Author Posting. © Ecological Society of America, 2015. This article is posted here by permission of Ecological Society of America for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 13 (2015): 541–546, doi:10.1890/150017.
    Collections
    • Josephine Bay Paul Center in Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution
    • Faculty Publications
    • Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry (MC&G)
    Suggested Citation
    Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 13 (2015): 541–546
     

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