Radio Interview · Les Années Lumière · Radio-Canada (French)
Thomas Pitot, a postdoctoral researcher and data coordinator with FROST, was invited to participate in this popular science radio program broadcast in Québec. During the interview, he discusses the fascinating history of giant viruses and presents the main findings of his recent review study published in FEMS Microbiology Ecology.
Giant viruses are found in a wide range of environments around the world. In polar regions, however, viral communities have unique characteristics, and some species appear to be closely associated with these environments. Thomas’s research aims to better understand how these viruses persist in polar environments and what roles they play within these ecosystems.
In brief | In Arctic lakes, environmental conditions are particularly extreme, with long periods of daylight in summer and extended darkness in winter, in addition to seasonal ice cover. In spring, the return of sunlight promotes substantial blooms of microalgae, which can represent an important source of biomass. Giant viruses infect some of these algae and can cause their cells to break down, releasing nutrients and organic matter into the water column. These compounds then become available to other organisms, contributing to the cycling of matter and energy within the lake ecosystem.
Thomas is also particularly interested in how these viruses may evolve in these environments as the climate warms, a process that is occurring at an accelerated rate in the Arctic.
Thus, far from being merely pathogens, giant viruses may play an important role in the functioning and dynamics of polar ecosystems.