A thermal trade‐off between viral production and degradation drives virus‐phytoplankton population dynamics. (20th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Demory, David; Weitz, Joshua S.; Baudoux, Anne‐Claire; Touzeau, Suzanne; Simon, Natalie; Rabouille, Sophie; Sciandra, Antoine; Bernard, Olivier
• Editors: Lafferty, Kevin
• Is Part Of: Ecology letters. Volume 24:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: 1133
• Page End: 1144
• Publication Date: 2021-04-20
• Subjects: trade‐off -- temperature -- phytoplankton -- virus -- ocean warming -- modelling; Ecology -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/ele.13722
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-023X

Abstract

Abstract: Marine viruses interact with microbial hosts in dynamic environments shaped by variation in abiotic factors, including temperature. However, the impacts of temperature on viral infection of phytoplankton are not well understood. Here we coupled mathematical modelling with experiments to explore the effect of temperature on virus‐phytoplankton interactions. Our model shows the negative consequences of high temperatures on infection and suggests a temperature‐dependent threshold between viral production and degradation. Modelling long‐term dynamics in environments with different average temperatures revealed the potential for long‐term host‐virus coexistence, epidemic free or habitat loss states. We generalised our model to variation in global sea surface temperatures corresponding to present and future seas and show that climate change may differentially influence virus‐host dynamics depending on the virus‐host pair. Temperature‐dependent changes in the infectivity of virus particles may lead to shifts in virus‐host habitats in warmer oceans, analogous to projected changes in the habitats of macro‐, microorganisms and pathogens. Abstract : The impacts of temperature on viral infection of phytoplankton are not well understood. Here we coupled mathematical modelling with experimental data sets to explore the effect of temperature on virus‐phytoplankton dynamics. Our model shows the negative consequences of high temperatures on infection and suggests a temperature‐dependent threshold between viral production and degradation. Our study suggests that ocean warming may lead to shifts in virus‐host habitats in future oceans, analogous to projected changes in the habitats of macroorganisms, microorganisms and pathogens.