Viriobenthos in freshwater and marine sediments : a review

摘要: 1. Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on planet, and sediments provide a highly suitable environment for them. This review presents first comparative synthesis of information fresh water marine viriobenthos explores differences similarities to better known virioplankton. We present methods studying life cycles viriobenthos, data viral distribution diversity, interactions with host microbes, role viruses in benthic food webs biogeochemical cycles. 2. Most approaches developed virioplankton also applicable although analysing may differ important details. 3. Benthic very both freshwater sediments, where 107–1010 can occur 1 g dry sediment. Although production (VP) decay rates is limited, suggest that VP could be high. These highlight potential ecological importance viruses, suggesting they play key prokaryotic mortality cycles. 4. There clear indirect evidence ecosystems. However, large numbers visibly infected cells have not been observed, limited effects prokaryote population community dynamics. The apparent paradox between high abundance low impact currently unresolved, while several aspects (e.g. chronic infection) are almost completely unknown. 5. Studies viriobenthic diversity structure at pioneering stage. First results from few studies using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis especially metagenomic analyses indicate, however, assemblages diverse distinct virioplankton. 6. Estimates global top m 0.5 28.7 · 1028 respectively. Similar rough estimates 0.6 34.4 day)1, an average turnover time 20 h.