The Role of Viruses and Viral Lysis in Changing the Optical Properties of the Water Environment of their Habitat

This review presents data on the role of viruses of the hydrosphere and the viral lysis of unicellular hosts in changes in the optical properties of water. In early works, it was believed that viruses of water bodies, as representatives of the nanoscale fraction of microplankton, do not significantly affect the optical properties of water. However, in further experiments by foreign colleagues and in the authors' own studies, it was revealed that viral lysis of representatives of bacterio- and phytoplankton leads to numerous consequences, the result of which is a change in the optical characteristics of water as their liquid habitat. It is assumed that this phenomenon can be used for practical purposes.