Methane Production in Oxic Lake Waters Potentially Increases Aquatic Methane Flux to Air
- Active methane production in oxygenated lake waters challenges the long-standing paradigm that microbial methane production occurs only under anoxic conditions and forces us to rethink the ecology and environmental dynamics of this powerful greenhouse gas. Methane production in the upper oxic water layers places the methane source closer to the air water interface, where convective mixing and microbubble detrainment can lead to a methane efflux higher than that previously assumed. Microorganisms may produce methane in oxic environments by being equipped with enzymes to counteract the effects of molecular oxygen during methanogenesis or using alternative pathways that do not involve oxygen-sensitive enzymes. As this process appears to be influenced by thermal stratification, water transparency, and primary production, changes in lake ecology due to climate change will alter methane formation in oxic water layers, with far-reaching consequences for methane flux and climate feedback.
Author details: | Kam W. Tang, Daniel F. McGinnis, Danny IonescuORCiD, Hans-Peter GroßartORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00150 |
ISSN: | 2328-8930 |
Title of parent work (English): | Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies |
Publisher: | American Chemical Society |
Place of publishing: | Washington |
Publication type: | Review |
Language: | English |
Year of first publication: | 2016 |
Publication year: | 2016 |
Release date: | 2020/03/22 |
Volume: | 3 |
Number of pages: | 7 |
First page: | 227 |
Last Page: | 233 |
Funding institution: | Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (Germany); German Science Foundation (AquaMeth Project) [GR1S40/21-1] |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie |
Peer review: | Referiert |