TITLE:   Palmer LTER: Spatial distribution of viruses in the Palmer LTER region
AUTHOR:  Roxane Maranger, David F Bird, David M. Karl
Palmer LTER Contribution #46, ANTJ 1994 Review, Vol 29, No. 5, 209-211 

Viruses have been identified as dynamic components in several
aquatic environments including marine and fresh waters (Bergh et al.
1989; Proctor and Fuhrman 1990; Klut and Stokner 1990), marine and
freshwater sediments (Paul et al. 1993; Maranger and Bird, unpupl.
data) and in polar sea ice (Maranger et al., in press).  High
abundances and rapid changes in viral abundance (Bratbak et al. 1990)
along with rapid viral decay rates (Heldal and Bratbak 1991) suggest
that viruses may play an important role in controlling microbial
populations.  Viruses are also thought to be involved in carbon
transfer within the microbial loop (Bratbak et al. 1992), however
their quatntitative role in carbon and nutrient cycling has not been
fully established.