Edited by Heather K. Allen and Stephen T. Abedon,
this ebook was published March of 2015 and is open access.
"Viruses infect numerous microorganisms
including, predominantly, Bacteria (bacteriophages or phages) but also Archaea, Protists, and Fungi. They are the most abundant and ubiquitous biological entities on Earth and are important drivers of ecosystem functioning. … Modern techniques such as metagenomics have enabled the discovery and description of more presumptive VoMs than ever
before, but also have exposed gaps in our understanding of VoM ecology. Exploring the ecology of these viruses – which is how they interact with host organisms, the abiotic environment, larger organisms, and even other viruses across a variety of environments and conditions – is the next frontier. Integration of a growing molecular
understanding of VoMs with ecological studies will expand our knowledge of ecosystem dynamics. … Perturbations are of particular interest because measuring the effect of disturbances on VoM-associated communities provides important windows into how VoMs contribute to ecosystem dynamics. These disturbances in turn can be studied through in vitro, in vivo, and in situ experimentation, measuring responses by VoM-associated communities to changes in nutrient availability, stress, physical disruption, seasonality, etc., and could apply to studies at all ecological levels. These are considered here across diverse systems and environments."
For additional information or questions, contact the author.