Virioplankton and Climate Change

Dear Colleagues

Marine ecosystems have the greatest number of viruses and bacteriophages. Additionally, viruses affect biogeochemical cycling by releasing cellular contents when cells lyse, resulting in a 10 to 40% bacterial mortality rate in marine environments. During the viral infection of bacteria, dissolved organic matter (DOM) is released, which is then reutilized by microbial communities. This phenomenon is referred to as the viral shunt, which disrupts the flow of organic carbon and nutrients from microbes to high trophic levels. Changes in circulation and vertical mixing may affect the temperature of water as a result of global climate change. It is crucial to understand how bacteria respond to these changes, considering their importance in the ocean and the microbial loop as a whole. Consequently, water temperature has the potential to affect both the production of viruses and the relationship between viruses and hosts, since it regulates the growth of microbial cells. We are looking for papers on the environmental dynamics and function of viruses of aquatic environments for this Special Issue titled "Virioplankton and Climate Change".

Prof. Dr. An Yi Tsai
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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