Data for: Ocean acidification has a strong effect on communities living on plastic in mesocosms

We conducted a mesocosm experiment to examine how ocean acidification (OA) affects communities of prokaryotes and eukaryotes growing on single-use drinking bottles in subtropical eutrophic waters of the East China Sea. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequencing, simulated high CO₂ significantly altered the prokaryotic community, with the relative abundance of the phylum Planctomycetota increasing by 49 % under high CO₂. Under high CO₂, prokaryotes in plastisphere significantly enhanced nitrogen dissimilation and ureolysis, raising the possibility that elevated CO₂ may modify nutrient cycling in subtropical eutrophic waters. The relative abundance of pathogenic and animal parasite bacteria also increased under simulated high CO₂. Our results show that simulated high CO₂ significantly affected some secondary producers based on 18S rDNA gene sequencing. For example, Mayorella amoebae were highly resistant to OA whereas labyrinthulids were sensitive to high CO₂. This shows that OA may alter plastisphere food chains in subtropical eutrophic waters.