Tardigrades in the marine plastisphere: New hitchhikers surfing plastics

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 200; p. 116071
• Main Authors: Lacerda, Ana Luzia, Frias, João, Pedrotti, Maria Luiza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Animals; Ecosystem; Oceans and Seas; Plastics; Polypropylenes; Tardigrada
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116071

Tardigrades are remarkable microorganisms known for their extraordinary resilience in diverse environments, including extreme conditions such as outer space. They are known for their interactions with natural substrates in terrestrial and aquatic systems, but have remained largely unexplored in relation to marine plastics. This study aims to investigate the colonization of plastics, ranging from fossil fuel-based to bioplastics, in the coastal zones of four countries (Brazil, Ireland, France and Italy). Here, we report the first documented occurrence of tardigrades colonizing plastic substrates. We identified five amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to the Tardigrada phylum, specifically in a post-consumer polypropylene, in the coastal zone of Galway, Ireland. This discovery raises questions about the characteristics of different plastics influencing on tardigrades' adhesion. Tardigrades hitchhiking on plastics in the oceans could expand their habitat range, possibly displacing native species and altering trophic interactions, with potential consequences for the overall biodiversity. •This is the first documented report of tardigrades in the marine plastisphere•We found five amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to the Tardigrada phylum•Epiplastic Tardigrades were found only in the coastal area of Ireland•Tardigrades colonized only recycled polypropylene