Exploring Fungal Diversity in Marine Plastic (PET) Wastes and Seafoam in Udo Island, South Korea, with Reports of Two New Species
Researchers collected fungi from plastic waste and seafoam on a South Korean island and identified 45 different types, including two completely new species never described before. These findings show that marine fungi are diverse and may help break down plastic or participate in ocean nutrient cycling. The study highlights how even seemingly temporary habitats like seafoam and pollution sources like plastic waste can harbor unique and important fungal communities.