Biological comunities & pathogens
Microorganisms are recognized as major drivers of the biogeochemical cycles that fuel the Earth, with a dominant role in the biodegradation of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. They play a crucial role in horizontal gene transfer and are responsible for the production of a wide range of secondary metabolites with important ecological functions, conferring selective advantages and enabling a chemical communication system between species and their environment. The planet is experiencing the effects of climate change, resulting in rapid changes at various ecological levels. Within marine ecosystems, global warming and its associated effects, such as shifts in temperature, acidification, oxygen concentrations, circulation patterns, stratification and nutrient availability, pose significant threats to the structure of microbial communities.
Changes in the physiology or population levels of one organism often have cascading effects on other species, leading to alterations in the community structure of the ecosystem. Of particular concern are the effects of these changes on aspects directly or indirectly related to human health. Ensuring the stability of marine bacterial communities is therefore essential as a stringent measure to support sustainable development.
Viruses are ubiquitous inhabitants of the world's oceans, which are home to nearly 200,000 different viral species. They infect a wide range of microbial life, including bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. Their ubiquity in the oceans plays a pivotal role in marine ecosystem ecology, contributing significantly to the regulation of carbon and nitrogen cycling in the marine environment and thereby influencing the dynamics of marine microbial populations. These processes have direct and far-reaching implications for global climate regulation and the overall health of the oceans.
As the world faces the challenges of climate change, understanding the role of viruses in marine ecosystems becomes increasingly important. Climate-related changes in ocean conditions, such as rising temperatures and ocean acidification, have the potential to disrupt the delicate balance within these microbial communities.
