Biology 11th Edition by Cecie Starr ,Ralph Taggart

Exercise 9

Do you think that the whole world would be better off without viruses If so, consider this: Curtis Suttle at the University of British Columbia studies interactions among viruses, bacteria, and algae in ocean water. He selectively removed viruses from seawater samples-and the algae in the water stopped growing. Suttle found that they were dependent on nutrients released by dying bacteria, which lyse after viral infection. Make a list of some other ways in which viruses might be integrated into ecosystems.