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The paradox of constant oceanic plastic debris: evidence for evolved microbial biodegradation?

Ricard Solé, Ernest Fontich, Blai Vidiella, Salva Duran-Nebreda, Raúl Montañez, Jordi Piñero, Sergi Valverde
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/135582
Ricard Solé
1ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CEXS Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
3Santa Fe Institute, 399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe NM 87501, USA
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Ernest Fontich
4Departament de Matemàtica Aplicada i Anàlisi, Universitat de Barcelona, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 585, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
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Blai Vidiella
1ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CEXS Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Salva Duran-Nebreda
1ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CEXS Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Raúl Montañez
1ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CEXS Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Jordi Piñero
1ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CEXS Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Sergi Valverde
1ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CEXS Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
2Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-UPF), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Abstract

Although the presence of vast amounts of plastic in the open ocean has generated great concern due to its potential ecological consequences, recent studies reveal that its measured abundance is much smaller than expected. Regional and global studies indicate that the difference between expected and actual estimates is enormous, suggesting that a large part of the plastic has been degraded by either physical and biotic processes. A paradoxical observation is the lack of a trend in plastic accumulation found in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, despite the rapid increase in plastic production and disposal. In this paper we show, using mathematical and computer models, that this observation could be explained by the nonlinear coupling between plastic (as a resource) and an evolved set of organisms (the consumers) capable of degrading it. The result is derived using two different resource-consumer mathematical approaches as well as a spatially-dependent plastic-microbial model incorporating a minimal hydrodynamical coupling with a two-dimensional fluid. The potential consequences of the evolution of marine plastic garbage and its removal are outlined.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
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Posted May 09, 2017.
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The paradox of constant oceanic plastic debris: evidence for evolved microbial biodegradation?
Ricard Solé, Ernest Fontich, Blai Vidiella, Salva Duran-Nebreda, Raúl Montañez, Jordi Piñero, Sergi Valverde
bioRxiv 135582; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/135582
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The paradox of constant oceanic plastic debris: evidence for evolved microbial biodegradation?
Ricard Solé, Ernest Fontich, Blai Vidiella, Salva Duran-Nebreda, Raúl Montañez, Jordi Piñero, Sergi Valverde
bioRxiv 135582; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/135582

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