Viruses and viral-mediated processes in the sea

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

It has become increasingly clear that viruses are major drivers of global biogeochemical cycles and represent the greatest genetic diversity on Earth. The proposed research directly examines the spatial variability and genetic diversity of viruses, their effect on the mortality of phytoplankton and bacteria, and the consequent role of viral lysis on biogeochemical processes in the ocean. We will continue to explore the abundance and diversity of viruses that infect zooplankton, a critical link in aquatic foodwebs. As well, investigations of viral transcription in phytoplankton will reveal which viruses are replicating (i.e. Who are they?) and who the susceptible hosts are (i.e. Who is getting infected?). These investigations will enhance our understanding of viral distribution and diversity, virus-host interactions, and viral mediated nutrient regeneration. This knowledge can result in the synthesis of more accurate models of the role of viruses within marine ecosystems, which in turn can affect marine management issues such as estimation of fisheries productivity, remediation of harmful algal blooms, and assessment of aquatic ecosystem health.