Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini review

Natural and oil surface slicks are widespread phenomena at the air-water interface and represent visible surface films with distinct physicochemical and biological properties compared to non-slick surface films and underlying marine water. Both types of slicks have major functions in nourishing and...

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Main Authors: Lisa Voskuhl, Janina Rahlff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Marine Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1020843/full
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author Lisa Voskuhl
Janina Rahlff
author_facet Lisa Voskuhl
Janina Rahlff
author_sort Lisa Voskuhl
collection DOAJ
description Natural and oil surface slicks are widespread phenomena at the air-water interface and represent visible surface films with distinct physicochemical and biological properties compared to non-slick surface films and underlying marine water. Both types of slicks have major functions in nourishing and dispersing surface-dwelling micro- and macroorganisms, contribute to particle generation and carbon cycling, and are known to accumulate pollutants. Despite these functions and the high frequency of slicks in the marine environment, slicks are little understood considering their microbial inhabitants and contributions of these organisms for natural and oil slick establishment, function, and ecology. Our mini review summarizes the current knowledge of microbial life in natural slicks, natural and anthropogenic oil slicks, including the major knowledge gaps and perspectives for future research. Overall, we aim for an increased awareness about the existence of natural slicks, the differentiation between natural and anthropogenic oil slicks and an improved reporting of slick events during sampling of surface film and seawater from the epipelagic zone.
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spelling doaj.art-d26aa31e70a745f7bc8453204f5778132022-12-22T04:36:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452022-11-01910.3389/fmars.2022.10208431020843Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini reviewLisa Voskuhl0Janina Rahlff1University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Chemistry, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology (EMB) - Aquatic Microbiology, Essen, GermanyCentre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems (EEMiS), Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, SwedenNatural and oil surface slicks are widespread phenomena at the air-water interface and represent visible surface films with distinct physicochemical and biological properties compared to non-slick surface films and underlying marine water. Both types of slicks have major functions in nourishing and dispersing surface-dwelling micro- and macroorganisms, contribute to particle generation and carbon cycling, and are known to accumulate pollutants. Despite these functions and the high frequency of slicks in the marine environment, slicks are little understood considering their microbial inhabitants and contributions of these organisms for natural and oil slick establishment, function, and ecology. Our mini review summarizes the current knowledge of microbial life in natural slicks, natural and anthropogenic oil slicks, including the major knowledge gaps and perspectives for future research. Overall, we aim for an increased awareness about the existence of natural slicks, the differentiation between natural and anthropogenic oil slicks and an improved reporting of slick events during sampling of surface film and seawater from the epipelagic zone.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1020843/fullneustonsurface filmbacteriasurfactantssea-surface microlayerspill
spellingShingle Lisa Voskuhl
Janina Rahlff
Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini review
Frontiers in Marine Science
neuston
surface film
bacteria
surfactants
sea-surface microlayer
spill
title Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini review
title_full Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini review
title_fullStr Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini review
title_full_unstemmed Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini review
title_short Natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems: A mini review
title_sort natural and oil surface slicks as microbial habitats in marine systems a mini review
topic neuston
surface film
bacteria
surfactants
sea-surface microlayer
spill
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1020843/full
work_keys_str_mv AT lisavoskuhl naturalandoilsurfaceslicksasmicrobialhabitatsinmarinesystemsaminireview
AT janinarahlff naturalandoilsurfaceslicksasmicrobialhabitatsinmarinesystemsaminireview