Methane-oxidizing bacteria could play a greater role than previously thought in preventing the release of climate-damaging methane from lakes, researchers from Bremen report.
Methane-oxidizing bacteria could play a greater role than previously thought in preventing the release of climate-damaging methane from lakes, researchers from Bremen report. They also show who is behind the process and how it works.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas frequently produced in the sea and in fresh water. Lakes in particular release large quantities of this climate-killer. Fortunately, however, there are microorganisms that counteract this: They are able to utilize methane to grow and generate energy, thus preventing it from being released into the atmosphere. These microorganisms, known as methanotrophs, are therefore regarded as an important "biological methane filter".
Methanotrophs comprise various groups of microorganisms, and many questions about their way of life have yet to be answered. A study by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, and the Swiss Eawag shows the astonishing abilities of some of these organisms and their previously overlooked role for our climate.
Read more at Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
Photo Credit: fietzfotos via Pixabay
