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When we think about viruses we tend to consider ones that afflict humans – such as those that cause influenza, HIV, and Ebola. Yet, vastly more viruses infect single-celled microbes. Diverse and abundant, microbes and the viruses that infect them are found in oceans, lakes, plants, soil, and animal-associated microbiomes. Taking a vital look at the "microscopic" mode of disease dynamics, Quantitative Viral Ecology establishes a theoretical foundation from which to model and predict the ecological and evolutionary dynamics that result from the interaction between viruses and their microbial hosts.
Joshua Weitz addresses three major questions: What are viruses of microbes and what do they do to their hosts? How do interactions of a single virus-host pair affect the number and traits of hosts and virus populations? How do virus-host dynamics emerge in natural environments when interactions take place between many viruses and many hosts?
Emphasizing how theory and models can provide answers, in Quantitative Viral Ecology Weitz offers a cohesive framework for tackling new challenges in the study of viruses and microbes and how they are connected to ecological processes – from the laboratory to the Earth system. Quantitative Viral Ecology is an innovative exploration of the influence of viruses in our complex natural world.
Joshua S. Weitz is associate professor of biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
"Mathematical models are necessary tools for understanding the population dynamics of viruses. A large value of this book is its potential as a bridge between pure modeling and experimental/observational work in the field. Weitz's knowledge of the historical background is excellent and he uses entertaining, informative content and highly relevant cases throughout."
– Tron Frede Thingstad, University of Bergen
"In recent years, there has been a swelling wave of awareness by microbiologists and ecologists regarding the significance of viruses in natural environments. In this book, Weitz synthesizes a wide range of empirical knowledge with rigorous population dynamical models to encapsulate the interactions among viruses and their microbial hosts. Weitz is at the top of his field and his breadth of knowledge is impressive."
– Robert D. Holt, University of Florida
