An international team of researchers has discovered a record number of frozen viral genomes in an ice sample from the Tibetan Plateau, which could help better understand past and future climate and ecosystem changes.
In the Gulia Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau, scientists have discovered 1705 species of viruses preserved in ice for tens of thousands of years. This study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, provides an unprecedented amount of information about viruses obtained from the glacier. The discovery covers a period of up to 41,000 years in the past and opens up new opportunities for studying the Earth’s climate history.
The discovered viruses played a critical role in their local ecosystems. They influenced diversity and evolution through the processes of selective pressure
Selective pressure — the influence of external factors (environmental, climatic, biological) that favor the survival and reproduction of those organisms that have more favorable traits for these conditions. This is the main mechanism of natural selection. and virus-mediated gene transferVirus-mediated gene transfer is a process in which viruses transfer genetic material between organisms, which can lead to changes in the genetic composition of populations and, as a result, to evolutionary changes. This is one of the mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer.. Scientists have noted that viruses can even shape the ecological metabolism of an ecosystem by affecting the absorption and production of compounds in the environment.
The researchers found a clear link between climatic conditions and viral communities. During cold periods, the viral community of the Gulia Glacier tended to return to a similar, though not identical, composition. Instead, each warm period was characterized by a unique set of viral species. The most diverse mix of microbes dates back to about 11,500 years ago, coinciding with the transition from the last ice age to the stable and temperate Holocene (the modern geologic era that continues to this day).
More than 70% of the viruses found were unique and found only in the Gulia glacier. Only 12% of the total number of viruses are also known outside of Asia, and less than 1% have been documented in non-glacial environments.
This study opens up new perspectives for predicting future climate. Scientists say that understanding the link between viruses, bacterial metabolism and climate can help answer complex questions such as the role of wetlands or forests in absorbing or releasing carbon dioxide. However, scientists warn that melting glaciers threaten to lose this invaluable information about climate history.
Source: Popsci
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