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Diatom and macroinvertebrate communities dynamic: A co-occurrence pattern analysis on plastic substrates.
Davide Taurozzi1, Giulia Cesarini2, Massimiliano Scalici3
1Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy.
The Science of the Total Environment
|December 4, 2023
Summary
Plastic pollution in wetlands impacts ecosystems. This study found diatoms aggregate on plastic litter, while macroinvertebrates show random community structures, suggesting diverse niche availability.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Wetlands provide vital ecosystem services but face threats from anthropogenic pollution, especially plastic debris.
- Macroplastic litter is a significant pollutant with understudied biological impacts, particularly concerning settled organisms.
- Limited information exists on the micro- and macro-organism communities colonizing macroplastic litter in wetland environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate diatom and macroinvertebrate colonization patterns and community structures on different plastic polymers.
- To assess the influence of depth on these communities in a protected Italian wetland.
- To understand the assembly rules governing these biological communities on plastic substrates.
Main Methods:
- Experimental setup using virgin polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate substrates.
- Deployment at two different depths in a protected wetland over a 10-month period.
- Analysis of diatom and macroinvertebrate community structures and co-occurrence patterns using combined matrix analyses.
Main Results:
- Diatom communities exhibited aggregation patterns, not strong competitive structuring.
- Macroinvertebrate communities appeared randomly structured, indicating diverse available niches.
- Combined analyses revealed that diatoms and macroinvertebrates co-occurred, with assemblages sometimes structured (aggregation) and sometimes random.
Conclusions:
- Diatom and macroinvertebrate communities on plastic litter in wetlands show distinct assembly patterns.
- The random structure of macroinvertebrates suggests a variety of ecological niches are available on plastic debris.
- Further research into predator-prey relationships among macroinvertebrates is recommended to understand community structuring and potential biological enrichment.
