Incorporation of viruses into the budget of microbial C-transfer. A first approach

Abstract

In order to investigate the quantitative role of viruses in the pelagic microbial ecosystem, a diel study was undertaken, comprising measurements of particulate and dissolved primary production, bacterial production, bacterial grazing by flagellates, bacterial lysis by viruses, and production of viruses. Results support the idea that viral lysis may be a quantitatively significant process that needs to be incorporated into budgets of microbial C-transfer. -from Authors