Microbial biofilm succession on plastic litter surfaces in an urban stream

The accumulation of plastics in the environment is a growing concern for ecosystems worldwide. Plastics that escape waste management infrastructure can enter freshwater ecosystems where they are colonized by microbial biofilms. It is important to understand the interactions between plastic litter and microbial communities, both to assess the impact of plastic litter on ecosystem processes as well as their fate in aquatic ecosystems.We measured microbial community activity and composition of biofilms growing on different plastic substrates and a natural surface in an urban stream over four weeks. While several studies have aimed to address these interactions in marine ecosystems, similar work in freshwater ecosystems is limited. Also, this study has simultaneously assessed the dynamics of bacterial, fungal, and algal assemblages on macroplastic litter.