908 / 2024-09-19 19:36:36

Modeling the Ecological Effects of Viruses in the Subtropical Gyre of the Atlantic Ocean

marine viruses; ecosystem model; nutrient cycle

Session 30 - Planktonic and Microbial Contributions to Marine Ecosystems and Biogeochemistry: Insights from Observations, Experiments, and Modeling

Marine viruses are the most abundant and diverse biological entities in the ocean. As key members of marine ecosystems, they play a crucial regulatory role in structuring communities, driving nutrient cycling, and facilitating energy transfer, owing to their vast numbers, broad host range, and ability to lyse their hosts. However, in most marine ecosystem models, viral processes are often overlooked or simplified into fixed virus-induced host mortality rates, failing to capture the significant variability in viral infection rates and host mortality. Additionally, the influence of environmental factors on viral processes is often neglected, which limits the ability to fully evaluate the role of viruses in marine ecosystems. To address this, the present study utilizes multi-year time-series data on virioplankton abundance from the BATS site to construct a one-dimensional biogeochemical model for the subtropical gyre region of the North Atlantic, incorporating viral processes and the influence of environmental factors on virus-host interactions. By incorporating viral dynamics and their sensitivities to environmental changes into the model, the study explores the role of viruses in host regulation, productivity, and nutrient cycling. Furthermore, the study analyzes how the production and aggregation of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) during viral infection affect particulate organic matter sinking rates. This study provides deeper insights into the influence of viruses in marine ecosystems and serves as a valuable reference for future marine virus modeling studies.