Work

Wastewater treatment plant as a stable contributor affecting coastal ocean water viral communities

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Coastal viruses play a vital role in sustaining ecosystem functioning, and yet, the degree to which they are influenced by human activities remains poorly understood. Our study demonstrates that wastewater discharge fundamentally reshapes the coastal ocean virome, overriding its natural seasonal variability and highlighting a profound anthropogenic influence on the distribution, host associations, and ecological roles of viral communities. These findings advance our understanding of viral dynamics in coastal marine systems and establish a critical scientific basis for evaluating how human activities alter marine microbial ecology.

Source: mLife

DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.70098

Authors: Qiji Zhang, Zhanwen Cheng, Xiaotong Tang, Yuxi Yan, Yu Xia

Institution: Southern University of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life below water, Clean water and sanitation, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China