Communities of microorganisms — protists, bacteria, archaea, and viruses — comprise the invisible foundation supporting ecosystem productivity. The composition, stability, and resilience of these microbial communities support the delivery of key ecosystem services. These features are, in large part, shaped by interactions between microbial populations. Viral infection has emerged as a potent interaction influencing the flow of nutrients and energy within microbial communities. The proposed sequencing will shed light on how environmental conditions influence viral-host interactions and the flow of nutrients and energy through aquatic ecosystems.
Proposer: Eric Wommack, University of Delaware
Proposal: Deducing gene to function linkages within virioplankton populations through the lens of ecosystem gradients