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High abundance of viruses found in aquatic environments

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Abstract

THE concentration of bacteriophages in natural unpolluted waters is in general believed to be low1,2, and they have therefore been considered ecologically unimportant3. Using a new method for quantitative enumeration, we have found up to 2.5 x IO8 virus particles per millilitre in natural waters. These concentrations indicate that virus infection may be an important factor in the ecological control of planktonic micro-organisms, and that viruses might mediate genetic exchange among bacteria in natural aquatic environments.

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Author notes

  1. Knut Yngve BØrsheim

    Present address: The Biological Station, University of Trondheim, Bynesveien 46, N-7018, Trondheim, Norway

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Plant Physiology, University of Bergen, Jahnebakken 5, N-5007, Bergen, Norway

    Øivind Bergh, Knut Yngve BØrsheim, Gunnar Bratbak & Mikal Heldal

Authors
  1. Øivind Bergh
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  2. Knut Yngve BØrsheim
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  3. Gunnar Bratbak
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  4. Mikal Heldal
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Bergh, Ø., BØrsheim, K., Bratbak, G. et al. High abundance of viruses found in aquatic environments. Nature 340, 467–468 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/340467a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/340467a0

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