Contrasting seasonal drivers of virus abundance and production in the North Pacific Ocean

Source Publication

PLOS One

Authors

P. Jackson Gainer, University of Tennessee, KnoxvilleFollow
Helena L. Pound, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Alyse A. Larkin, Duke University Marine Laboratory
Gary R. LeCleir, University of Tennessee, KnoxvilleFollow
Jennifer M. DeBruyn, University of Tennessee, KnoxvilleFollow
Erik R. Zinser, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Zackary I. Johnson, Duke University Marine Laboratory
Steven W. Wilhelm, University of Tennessee, KnoxvilleFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-7-2017

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0184371

Abstract

The North Pacific Ocean (between approximately 0°N and 50°N) contains the largest continuous ecosystem on Earth. This region plays a vital role in the cycling of globally important nutrients as well as carbon. Although the microbial communities in this region have been assessed, the dynamics of viruses (abundances and production rates) remains understudied. To address this gap, scientific cruises during the winter and summer seasons (2013) covered the North Pacific basin to determine factors that may drive virus abundances and production rates. Along with information on virus particle abundance and production, we collected a spectrum of oceanographic metrics as well as information on microbial diversity. The data suggest that both biotic and abiotic factors affect the distribution of virus particles. Factors influencing virus dynamics did not vary greatly between seasons, although the abundance of viruses was almost an order of magnitude greater in the summer. When considered in the context of microbial community structure, our observations suggest that members of the bacterial phyla Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Bacteroidetes were correlated to both virus abundances and virus production rates: these phyla have been shown to be enriched in particle associated communities. The findings suggest that environmental factors influence virus community functions (e.g., virion particle degradation) and that particle-associated communities may be important drivers of virus activity.

Comments

This article was published openly thanks to the University of Tennessee Open Publishing Support Fund.

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Recommended Citation

P. Jackson Gainer, Helena L. Pound, Alyse A. Larkin, Gary R. LeCleir, Jennifer M. DeBruyn, Erik R. Zinser, Zackary I. Johnson, Steven W. Wilhelm. “Contrasting Seasonal Drivers of Virus Abundance and Production in the North Pacific Ocean.” PLOS One 12, no. 9 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0184371.

Submission Type

Publisher's Version