A free lecture about the vital and continuing role of microbiomes, the first forms of life on planet Earth, will take place at the end of this month.

The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce will present the talk at Bermuda College on October 31.

Rachel Parsons, a microbial oceanographer at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, will explain the essential biogeochemical processes performed by microbiomes in the marine environment and will outline work taking place at the institute.

Microbiomes are present everywhere including the surfaces of particles, Sargassum seaweed and even on microplastics in the ocean.

Invisible to the human eye, they include bacteria, viruses, archaea, protist and fungi, all performing important ecological functions, from recycling organic matter to carbon sequestration.

The Microbial Ecology Laboratory at BIOS is investigating the Sargassum microbiome and how ocean microbes respond to Sargassum-dissolved organic matter.

Because microplastics are entangled within Sargassum floats, BIOS is also investigating the formation on the microplastics from an ecological and human health perspective.

Less is known about marine nanoplastics, which are minuscule specks of plastic. The lab has been focusing on developing a microscopy method for studying suspended nanoplastics in the Sargasso Sea.

Amy Harvey, the earth and environmental science senior lecturer at Bermuda College, explained: “Microplastics are not only causing environmental issues but major health concerns as well.

“Research has shown that humans have two credit cards worth of microplastics in their bodies, with two thirds being inert and the other third not inert.

“This means that the microplastics may have harmful chemicals that are bioaccumulating in our cells as well as biomagnifying in our bodies.

“Microplastics are everywhere and are a major problem in our ocean ecosystem.

“They are now a vehicle for microbes which attach themselves to microplastics making their way through the water column.

“We look forward to hearing more about the research carried out by Rachel Parsons, who studies microbes on microplastics that are potentially becoming immune to antibiotics.

“We need to be really cognisant of our plastic consumption and look to alternative products.

“One of the biggest contributors of microplastics to the ocean ecosystems is synthetic textiles.

“There are products out there made from seaweed that have minimal impact on our environment. Top designers like Stella McCartney are using this new material.

“It is time to make change.”

The presentation is on October 31 from 1pm to 2pm, and can either be viewed in person at the Athene Room H100 of Bermuda College or online at the event page www.facebook.com/events/849386333701053.

It will include a question-and-answer session after the lecture.