Geochemistry of Virus–Prokaryote Interactions in Freshwater and Acid Mine Drainage Environments, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

An extensive water sample survey was conducted in southern Ontario, Canada across a variety of freshwater systems in order to further understand the role of viruses in aquatic environments. Backwards stepwise multiple regression analysis found that VLP (virus-like particle) abundance, phosphate, pH, sulfate, and magnesium are predictors of prokaryotic abundance with the model describing 90% of the variability in the data (R2 = 0.90). Statistically significant (P < 0.05) predictors of VLP abundance were mineral saturation indices (SI) of goethite (R2 = 0.78) although moderate Pearson component analysis correlations (r) were noted with ferrihydrite, jarosite, and pyrolusite. These relationships indicate that viral inactivation through mineral attachment may be a contributor to the moderate relationship between VLP and prokaryotic abundance (rs = 0.45). In addition, VLP abundance is shown to have a stronger correlation with minerals SI values than prokaryotes indicating a stronger mineral influence with viruses.