"The plastisphere provides a unique man-made habitat for organisms and microbial communities. Investigating the interactions and functions of these organisms helps us understand how fouling communities can settle on these novel platforms and be moved beyond their natural ranges as well as their contribution to nutrient cycling and biogeochemical processes. This book examines the plastisphere and reveals a secret world of microbes that have adapted to live on plastic surfaces. It explains the ecological effects of plastic pollution, human health concerns, microbial ecology, mitigation techniques, and advocates sustainable solutions"-- Provided by publisher.