Proximity to built structures on the seabed promotes biofilm development and diversity

The rapidly expanding built environment in the northern Gulf of Mexico includes thousands of human built structures (e.g. platforms, shipwrecks) on the seabed. Primary-colonizing microbial biofilms transform structures into artificial reefs capable of supporting biodiversity, yet little is known abo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biofouling (Chur, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2023-08, Vol.39 (7), p.706-718
Main Authors: Mugge, Rachel L., Rakocinski, Chet F., Woolsey, Max, Hamdan, Leila J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Artificial reefs
Biodiversity
Biofilm
Biofilms
Built environment
carbon steel
Historical structures
Human influences
microbiome
Microbiomes
Microorganisms
Ocean floor
ocean sprawl
Oxidation
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Platforms
seabed
Shipwrecks
Sulfur
Sulphur
Urban environments
Wrecks
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Summary:The rapidly expanding built environment in the northern Gulf of Mexico includes thousands of human built structures (e.g. platforms, shipwrecks) on the seabed. Primary-colonizing microbial biofilms transform structures into artificial reefs capable of supporting biodiversity, yet little is known about formation and recruitment of biofilms. Short-term seafloor experiments containing steel surfaces were placed near six structures, including historic shipwrecks and modern decommissioned energy platforms. Biofilms were analyzed for changes in phylogenetic composition, richness, and diversity relative to proximity to the structures. The biofilm core microbiome was primarily composed of iron-oxidizing Mariprofundus, sulfur-oxidizing Sulfurimonas, and biofilm-forming Rhodobacteraceae. Alpha diversity and richness significantly declined as a function of distance from structures. This study explores how built structures influence marine biofilms and contributes knowledge on how anthropogenic activity impacts microbiomes on the seabed.
ISSN:0892-7014
1029-2454
DOI:10.1080/08927014.2023.2255141