High abundance of viruses found in aquatic environments (original) (raw)

Nature volume 340, pages 467–468 (1989)Cite this article

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 information

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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