Plastisphere

The plastisphere is the distinct microbial community that colonizes the surface of plastic debris in the sea, named in 2013 after metagenomic surveys found biofilms on marine plastic differing from the surrounding water. Bacteria, diatoms, and other microbes form structured biofilms on macro- and microplastic, hosting hydrocarbon degraders, potential pathogens such as Vibrio species, and harmful-algal-bloom dinoflagellates. The biofilm changes particle density and sinking behavior, so colonized plastic can sink or resurface, altering its transport and depth distribution. Because plastic persists for decades, the plastisphere is a durable, mobile substrate that can carry organisms, including invasive species, across ocean basins.