SGER: Viral Impacts on Fluvial and Limnetic Biogeochemistry

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00-03069WilhelmSGER: Viral Impacts on Fluvial and Limnetic BiogeochemistryAlthough commonly considered pathogens of animals and plants, viruses are now known to be pervasive in aquatic environments, where their populations are linked to bacteria and other microbes. In pelagic marine systems, the hundreds of thousands of viruses that exist in every drop of water lead to the direct daily destruction of a significant portion (20-30%) of the microbial community. This exploratory study will examine the impact of viruses on microbial communities and nutrient cycles in rivers and lakes in and around the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Borrowing established techniques from marine viral ecology, the investigators will determine the seasonal abundance and distribution of viruses and estimate the mortality they confer on the resident microbial communities. In addition, the impact of viruses on the recycling of carbon and nutrient elements will be quantified to determine the role of viruses in the biogeochemical cycles of these systems.