Mystery of soil viruses: advances, challenges, and perspectives

Abstract:

Soil viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth. They play important roles in the regulation of host dynamics and soil ecosystem, including microbial diversity, community composition, and element cycling. However, due to the tremendous complexity of the soil ecosystem, the incredible functions of soil viruses and the underlying functioning mechanisms remain largely unexplored and represent a hot topic and frontier in soil biology, microbial ecology, and environmental science. The recent advances in molecular biotechnology and the widespread application of ecological theories have significantly boosted the research on soil viruses. To provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art knowledge of soil virology, we conducted a literature review using bibliometric methods. This paper offers an overview of the current status and hotspots in soil virus research, shedding light on the development in this field. Taking into account the characteristics of soil environments, the study presents the future prospects for soil virus research, including the diversity, biological characteristics, environmental factors, mechanisms, and applications of soil viruses. With the interdisciplinary integration and advancements in research technologies, soil virus research is experiencing rapid growth. The noteworthy achievements in nutrient cycling, ecosystem services, and biological regulation through soil virus research can contribute to soil health and carbon neutrality initiatives.