Plastic marine debris was collected from multiple sites in the ocean and examined with electron microscopy and next-generation sequencing.These techniques revealed microbial communities growing on the plastics.Which of the following statements is correct regarding these communities?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of microbial communities on the plastic suggests that at least one member of the community is capable of degrading the hydrocarbon comprising the plastic. This is supported by the fact that some bacteria have been found to have the ability to degrade plastics. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because there may be differences between the microbial communities on the plastic and in the surrounding ocean waters, plastics may still support microbial growth despite being resistant to degradation, and bacteriophages are not rare in marine ecosystems.

Plastic Marine Debris Was Collected from Multiple Sites in the Ocean