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Updated: May 5, 2026

Estimating Virus Production Rates in Aquatic Systems
Published on: September 22, 2010
Viruses in human-impacted estuarine ecotones: Distribution, metabolic potential, and environmental risks
Yunmeng Chu1, Xiaoxiao Dong2, Shiyun Fang3
1University Joint Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao Region on Marine Bioresource Conservation and Exploitation, College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
None:
Estuaries, as dynamic ecological interfaces between marine and terrestrial systems, are characterized by high productivity and intricate microbial communities. Viruses exert critical regulatory effects on microbial processes, influencing ecological functions and contributing to environmental dynamics in estuarine ecosystems. Despite their significance, the diversity and ecological roles of estuarine viruses remain insufficiently understood. This study explored the viral biogeographic patterns, metabolic potential, and influencing factors in 30 subtropical estuaries in China. Few estuarine viruses (< 22 %) exhibited homology with known viruses, and the low overlap of virus clusters with other environments highlights their novelty and habitat specificity. Mantel tests and random forest analysis identified salinity, temperature, nutrients, and pollutants as key factors influencing viral composition and functional profiles. In addition, correlation analysis between virus and host confirmed significant virus-host interactions, while functional analyses highlighted the role of environmental conditions and horizontal gene transfer in shaping auxiliary metabolic genes linked to elemental biogeochemical cycles, particularly phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen. The detection of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factors (VFs) within viral genomes underscores the role of viruses as reservoirs of ARGs and VFs in these ecosystems. These results demonstrate the profound influence of abiotic and host factors on viral community structures in subtropical estuarine ecotones and underscore the ecological significance of metabolic genes in biogeochemical cycling. By clarifying these interactions, this study advances the understanding of viral contributions to ecosystem functioning and biogeochemical dynamics in estuarine environments.
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