Researchers at the University of Science and Technology in Korea have created a dataset that maps marine viruses found in coastal seawater around Korea. These viruses help regulate microbial life and recycle nutrients, so tracking them is essential for understanding how coastal ecosystems respond to pollution, warming, and other environmental stress. To measure them, the team collected over 200 liters of seawater across multiple sites, isolated the viral particles, and sequenced their DNA to identify the different species present. They paired these results with measurements of temperature, salinity, nutrients, and chlorophyll to show how changing conditions shape viral patterns.
Image Credits: Egor Freethinkel
