Diversity and ecological importance of viruses in the marine environment

Abstract

Viruses play a critical role in the marine environment, where they are the most abundant biological entities, vastly outnumbering other microorganisms like bacteria, archaea, and phytoplankton. This immense diversity of marine viruses, particularly bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria), is vital to the functioning and balance of marine ecosystems. Their ecological importance is seen in their influence on nutrient cycling, population dynamics, and the evolution of marine organisms.