About this Research Topic
Viruses play crucial roles in aquatic ecosystems, causing extensive mortality of marine microorganisms. However, there is currently little information about viruses that infect ecologically important marine invertebrates. These organisms are important constituents of freshwater and marine ecosystems as drivers of biogeochemistry, linking microorganisms to higher trophic levels, and as ecosystem engineers. In this topic, we welcome submissions that target viral interactions with ecologically (but not necessarily economically - i.e. excluding aquacultured) invertebrates, their diversity using metagenomics or functional gene approaches, their roles in host population biology, and their impacts on host-driven ecosystem processes (e.g. biogeochemistry). We also welcome reviews of the current state of aquatic invertebrate virology, and forward-looking opinion pieces on this topic.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
