Figure 3.

Biofilm formation on marine plastics. (a–d) Confocal laser scanning micrographs showing marine biofilms formed on the surface of polystyrene plates. (a–c) Biofilms formed within 8 (a,b) and 12 (c) days in the Kiel Fjord in late summer 2012. Blue, polysaccharide-containing structures; green, structures containing nucleic acids; red, chlorophyll-containing structures. (d) Biofilm formed within 25 days in an indoor mesocosm filled with seawater from the Kiel Fjord in late summer 2012. Blue, polysaccharide-containing structures; green, diatom frustules and structures containing nucleic acids; red, chlorophyll-containing structures; grey, protein-containing structures. Scale bars: 30 µm (a–c) and 50 µm (d).