Cycling in the "Plastisphere": the biogeochemical fate of marine (micro)plastics

Marine plastic debris is a global challenge that poses risk to environmental health, maritime economy and carbon cycling. The presence of biofilm on marine plastic implies a new ecological niche, called the “plastisphere”. This project will study whether microbes degrade, transport and incorporate (micro)plastic into biogeochemical cycles to determine the fate of plastic waste in the marine environment. The grant will fund a postdoc, a PhD and a technician, as well as fieldwork and advanced biofilm imaging.