biostudies-literatureWallbank JAMinistry of Business, Innovation and Employmente70214https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12701327biostudies-literatureUnknown27(12)The ecological impacts of plastics and their additives on marine microbiota remain unclear. We applied prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS2 region amplicon sequencing, alongside shotgun metagenomic sequencing, to identify compositional and functional changes in microbial communities on marine plastic. Five common plastics, both non-aged and artificially aged, were submerged in Auckland Harbour, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Biofilms on linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), nylon-6 (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), oxo-biodegradable LLDPE (OXO) and glass were sampled over 12 months. The taxonomy and functional potential of biofilm communities differed from surrounding seawater communities and varied with biofilm age. Younger biofilms were more diverse, with ProtEnvironmental microbiologyPlastic Type and Condition Have Minimal Impact on Associated Marine Biofilm Communities.PMC12701327C03X1802Smith DATheobald BWallbank JAKingsbury JMBarbier MPantos OWeaver LLear GGambarini VfalsePlastic Type and Condition Have Minimal Impact on Associated Marine Biofilm Communities.The ecological impacts of plastics and their additives on marine microbiota remain unclear. We applied prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS2 region amplicon sequencing, alongside shotgun metagenomic sequencing, to identify compositional and functional changes in microbial communities on marine plastic. Five common plastics, both non-aged and artificially aged, were submerged in Auckland Harbour, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Biofilms on linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), nylon-6 (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), oxo-biodegradable LLDPE (OXO) and glass were sampled over 12 months. The taxonomy and functional potential of biofilm communities differed from surrounding seawater communities and varied with biofilm age. Younger biofilms were more diverse, with Prot2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Dec2026-06-06T03:00:07.994Z2026-05-25T03:07:58.396ZS-EPMC127013274138865910.1111/1462-2920.70214