News

Anaerobic methane oxidation in a coastal oxygen minimum zone: spatial and temporal dynamics

Abstract. 

"Coastal waters are a major source of marine methane to the atmosphere. Particularly high concentrations of this potent greenhouse gas are found in anoxic waters, but it remains unclear if and to what extent anaerobic methanotrophs mitigate the methane flux. Here we investigate the long-term dynamics in methanotrophic activity and the methanotroph community in the coastal oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) of Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica, combining biogeochemical analyses, experimental incubations and 16S rRNA gene sequencing over 3 consecutive years. [...]".

 

Source: Environmental Microbiology

Authors: Herdís G. R. Steinsdóttir et al. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16003

Read the full article here.


Methane oxidation in the waters of a humics-rich boreal lake stimulated by photosynthesis, nitrite, Fe(III) and humics

Abstract.

"Small boreal lakes are known to contribute significantly to global methane emissions. Lake Lovojärvi is a eutrophic lake in Southern Finland with bottom water methane concentrations up to 2 mM. However, the surface water concentration, and thus the diffusive emission potential, was low (< 0.5 μM). We studied the biogeochemical processes involved in methane removal by chemical profiling and through incubation experiments. δ13C-CH4 profiling of the water column revealed methane-oxidation hotspots just below the oxycline and within the anoxic water column. In incubation experiments involving the addition of light and/or oxygen, methane oxidation rates in the anoxic hypolimnion were enhanced 3-fold, suggesting a major role for photosynthetically fueled aerobic methane oxidation. A distinct peak in methane concentration was observed at the chlorophyll a maximum[...]"

Source: Biogeoscience
Authors: Sigrid van Grinsven et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2021-3

Read the full article here.


Microbial oxidation as a methane sink beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Anstract.

"Aquatic habitats beneath ice masses contain active microbial ecosystems capable of cycling important greenhouse gases, such as methane (CH4). A large methane reservoir is thought to exist beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, but its quantity, source and ultimate fate are poorly understood. For instance, O2 supplied by basal melting should result in conditions favourable for aerobic methane oxidation. Here we use measurements of methane concentrations and stable isotope compositions along with genomic analyses to assess the sources and cycling of methane in Subglacial Lake Whillans (SLW) in West Antarctica. [...]"

Source: Nature Geoscience
Authors: Alexander B. Michaud et al.
DOI: 10.1038/ngeo2992

Full article


Effects of low oxygen concentrations on aerobic methane oxidation in seasonally hypoxic coastal waters

Abstract. 

"Coastal seas may account for more than 75 % of global oceanic methane emissions. There, methane is mainly produced microbially in anoxic sediments from which it can escape to the overlying water column. Aerobic methane oxidation (MOx) in the water column acts as a biological filter, reducing the amount of methane that eventually evades to the atmosphere. The efficiency of the MOx filter is potentially controlled by the availability of dissolved methane and oxygen, as well as temperature, salinity, and hydrographic dynamics, and all of these factors undergo strong temporal fluctuations in coastal ecosystems. [...]"

Source: Biogeosciences 14
Authors: Lea Steinle et al.
DOI: 10.5194/bg-14-1631-2017

Full article


Newsletter

It is possible to subscribe to our email newsletter list.

Depending on the amount of publications, we will summarize the activities on this blog in a newsletter for everyone not following the blog regularly.

If you want to subscribe to the email list to receive the newsletter, please send an email to sfb754@geomar.de with the header "subscribe".

If you want to unsubscribe from the newsletter, please send an email to sfb754@geomar.de with the header "unsubscribe".

You cannot forward any messages as a regular member to the list. If you want to suggest new articles or would like to contact us because of any other issue, please send an email to sfb754@geomar.de.

GOOD Social Media

To follow GOOD on LinkedIn, please visit here.
 

To follow GOOD on Twitter, please visit here.


To follow GOOD on Blue Sky, please visit here