Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform09:24

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform

9.6K
The development of microbial communities depends on a combination of factors, including environmental architecture, member abundance, traits, and interactions. This protocol describes a synthetic, microfabricated environment for the simultaneous tracking of thousands of communities contained in femtoliter wells, where key factors such as niche size and confinement can be...
9.6K
What is an Electrochemical Gradient?01:26

What is an Electrochemical Gradient?

127.3K
Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, is considered the primary energy source in cells. However, energy can also be stored in the electrochemical gradient of an ion across the plasma membrane, which is determined by two factors: its chemical and electrical gradients.
The chemical gradient relies on differences in the abundance of a substance on the outside versus the inside of a cell and flows from areas of high to low ion concentration. In contrast, the electrical gradient revolves around an...
127.3K
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE)10:52

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE)

22.1K
22.1K
Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

6.7K
6.7K
Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview14:42

Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview

9.1K
9.1K
Protein Complex Assembly02:41

Protein Complex Assembly

16.6K
Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types.  Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
16.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Photovoltaic Coverage Alters Soil Ecosystem Multifunctionality: Contrasting Effects and Underlying Mechanisms.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same author

Microplastics in Motion: How Earthworm Guts Become Microbial Gateways through Plastic Surface Dynamics.

Environmental science & technology·2025
Same author

Plant Trait Regulation Enabled by Nanoplastic Nucleic Acid Carriers.

Environmental science & technology·2025
Same author

High-Efficiency Degradation of PET Plastics by Glutathione S-Transferase under Mild Conditions.

Environmental science & technology·2024
Same author

Allelopathic Mechanisms in <i>Camellia oleifera</i>-<i>Arachis hypogaea</i> L. Intercropping.

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry·2023
Same author

Particle Size Determines the Phytotoxicity of ZnO Nanoparticles in Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Revealed by Spatial Imaging Techniques.

Environmental science & technology·2023
Same journal

60 Years of Science on Contaminants of Emerging Concern in <i>ES&T</i>: From Serendipitous Discoveries to a More Systematic Understanding.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same journal

Conversion of Gaseous Hg<sup>0</sup> Capture by CuS from Surface Adsorption to the Replacement Reaction through Intermittent Acid Washing.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same journal

Industrial Condensable Particulate Matter: A Missing Source in PM<sub>2.5</sub> Source Apportionment Driving Winter Pollution in China.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same journal

Correction to "Marine Scrubbers vs Low-Sulfur Fuels: A Comprehensive Well-To-Wake Life Cycle Assessment Supported by Measurements Aboard an Ocean-Going Vessel".

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same journal

Emissions and Cost Trade-Offs of Time-Matched Clean Electricity Procurement under Interannual Weather Variability: A Case Study of Hydrogen Production.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same journal

Divergent Thermal Feedbacks of Urbanization and Greening Modulate the Urban Heat Island in 21st-Century China.

Environmental science & technology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform
09:24

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform

Published on: June 6, 2017

9.6K

Edaphic Gradients Reshape Microbial Microenclaves Assembly within Plastispheres.

Xuyuan Zhang1,2, Yong Li1, Ziqian Li1

  • 1National Engineering Laboratory of Applied Technology for Forestry & Ecology in Southern China, Laboratory of Urban Forest Ecology of Hunan Province, School of Ecology and Environment, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China.

Environmental Science & Technology
|January 19, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microplastics form unique soil habitats called plastispheres. These micro-enclaves alter bacterial communities and functions, impacting wetland ecosystems.

Keywords:
Edaphic gradientsMicrobial assemblyMicrobial functional profilesNetwork relationshipsPlastisphereUrban wetlands

More Related Videos

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis DGGE
10:52

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis DGGE

Published on: February 25, 2007

22.1K
Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

6.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform
09:24

Assembly and Tracking of Microbial Community Development within a Microwell Array Platform

Published on: June 6, 2017

9.6K
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis DGGE
10:52

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis DGGE

Published on: February 25, 2007

22.1K
Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

6.7K

Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Ecosystem ecology
  • Biogeochemistry

Background:

  • Microplastics form unique microbial habitats, plastispheres, acting as micro-enclaves in soil.
  • Mechanisms of plastisphere assembly and their ecological effects are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate bacterial community assembly and environmental drivers within soil plastispheres.
  • To understand the functional implications of plastispheres in urban wetland ecosystems.

Main Methods:

  • Sampling of microplastics and adjacent soils from 27 urban wetland sites.
  • Sequencing of bacterial communities to analyze assembly processes.
  • Network analysis and KEGG functional predictions to assess microbial interactions and metabolic functions.

Main Results:

  • Plastispheres selectively recruit soil bacteria, showing reduced richness compared to adjacent soils.
  • Improved nutrient and hydrothermal conditions within plastispheres reduce dispersal limitation and enhance selection.
  • Intensified redox-driven metabolism and degradation of recalcitrant organics were observed in plastispheres.
  • Plastispheres act as self-contained micro-enclaves, reshaping microbial communities and functions.

Conclusions:

  • Local environmental factors within plastispheres significantly alter microbial community structure and function.
  • Plastispheres influence biogeochemical processes and pollution dynamics in wetland ecosystems.
  • Findings provide a basis for managing wetland ecosystem health in the context of microplastic pollution.