Microfouling communities from pelagic and benthic marine plastic debris sampled across Mediterranean coastal waters

The present study used scanning electron microscopy to characterize the organisms colonizing marine plastic debris collected from pelagic and benthic habitats across Mediterranean coastal waters of Greece, Italy and Spain. A total of 42 fragments of plastic were collected during the COMSOM experimen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientia marina 2016-09, Vol.80 (S1), p.117-127
Main Authors: Masó, Mercedes, Fortuño, José Manuel, De Juan, Silvia, Demestre, Montserrat
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Algae
Biodiversity
Biofilms
biofouling
Coastal ecology
Coastal waters
Coasts
Colonization
Cruises
Debris
Detritus
Diatoms
Ecosystems
Electron microscopy
Food chains
Fouling
Fragments
Hard bottom habitats
Marine ecosystems
Marine environment
marine plastic debris
Microorganisms
Mucilage
Mucilages
northern mediterranean sea
Ocean floor
Organisms
Plastic debris
Plastics
Polymers
Rafting
scanning electron microscope
Scanning electron microscopy
Soft bottom habitats
Surface water
Water quality
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Summary:The present study used scanning electron microscopy to characterize the organisms colonizing marine plastic debris collected from pelagic and benthic habitats across Mediterranean coastal waters of Greece, Italy and Spain. A total of 42 fragments of plastic were collected during the COMSOM experimental cruise, 16 from the seafloor and 26 from surface waters. The results showed that diatoms were the most abundant organisms on both pelagic and benthic plastics. The diatom Ceratoneis closterium, frequently observed on surface plastics (73%), is a harmful microalgae associated with mucilage events in the Mediterranean. The abundance of marine plastic in coastal and oceanic waters may provide new habitats that offer an easy substrate for these invasive organisms. Furthermore, the colonization of these new environments might reduce the success of life strategies, or drive the organisms out of their essential habitat by dispersion and rafting phenomena. The results of the present work highlight the need to increase our knowledge of the consequences of colonization of plastics introduced into the marine environment, and the need to raise awareness of the potential impacts of debris accumulation on biodiversity of marine ecosystems.
ISSN:0214-8358
1886-8134
DOI:10.3989/scimar.04281.10A