Covariation of viral parameters with bacterial assemblage richness and diversity in the water column and sediments

Viruses are hypothesized to maintain diversity in microbial assemblages by regulating the abundance of dominant competitors and thereby allowing less-dominant competitors to persist in assemblages; however, there have been few empirical data sets to support this idea. In this study, we examined the relationship between the ratio of viral abundance to bacterial abundance, viral production, and the relative richness and diversity of bacterial assemblage fingerprints, in samples taken from geographically widespread locations (North Pacific gyre, the Amazon River plume and adjacent North Atlantic gyre, Gulf of Mexico, Southern California Bight and Arafura—Coral Seas) which are oligo- to mesotrophic. Bacterial assemblage richness and diversity as measured by automated rRNA intergenic spacer (ARISA) fingerprinting were significantly and positively correlated with the ratio of virus abundance to bacteria abundance (VBR) and to the rate of virus production only in the oligotrophic North Pacific gyre. ARISA fingerprint richness/diversity were not significantly correlated to viral parameters when assessed across all samples in surface waters, suggesting there is not a singular global quantitative relationship between viral pressure and host diversity within well evolved host/virus systems in different geographic locations in plankton. In sediments off Southern California, viral parameters significantly and negatively correlated with ARISA diversity, suggesting strong viral interactions in this habitat. To examine covariation of viral parameters and the relative abundance and diversity of rarer bacterial taxa (i.e., less-dominant competitor), the richness and diversity of diazotroph communities was measured using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) of a portion (nifH) of the nitrogenase gene. The richness and diversity of diazotrophic communities were significantly and negatively correlated with viral parameters across all locations. Since diazotrophs include many opportunistic taxa (e.g. Vibrionaceae), and because these bacteria may be more susceptible to viral attack due to enhanced resource uptake abilities and potentially rapid localized growth, it is possible that this negative effect was due to enhanced viral lysis. Consequently, virus infection may have positive effects upon bacterioplankton diversity in the oligotrophic ocean, by regulating the abundance of dominant competitors, and allowing rarer taxa to coexist; however, some rarer taxa (such as diazotrophs) may be more susceptible to viral attack due to opportunistic lifestyles.