Quantitative Viral Ecology

"Quantitative Viral Ecology is exactly the book we need for the field. Until now everyone had to go to the primary literature to find good quantitative arguments in virology, but in this book, Weitz provides us with necessary principles and clear explanations. This volume will be useful for students new to the subject as well as anyone needing to refresh their knowledge of the discipline."--Forest Rohwer, San Diego State University"Joshua Weitz delivers a beautifully written book that captures the important and rapidly growing field of modern viral ecology. As one of the emerging leaders of the field's transformation into a quantitative discipline, Weitz provides many clear, accessible examples of how mathematical modeling can lead to dramatic new insights into virus-host interactions and the rich variety of phenomena that accompany them. This is a book that can be profitably read by researchers at all levels, whether from a biological or quantitative background."--Nigel Goldenfeld, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign"Drawing upon theoretical methods used in ecology and virology, as well as developing new approaches, Weitz has produced a pathbreaking book that provides a synthesis of existing knowledge and a way forward to original discoveries."--Alan Hastings, University of California, Davis"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