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Ecology of Aerobic Methanotrophs and their Role in Methane Cycling

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Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology

Abstract:

Aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) are widely distributed in the environment and play a key role in the cycling of the potent greenhouse gas methane. They oxidize much of the methane produced by the anaerobic metabolism of methanogenic archaea before it escapes to the atmosphere, thereby mitigating the effects of global warming. Methanotrophs have been isolated from many different environments, including freshwater and marine environments, soils, sediments, acidic peatlands, rice paddies, landfill, alkaline soda lakes, hot springs, cold environments, and even from highly acidic, thermophilic environments. Molecular ecological studies indicate that there are still many methanotrophs present in the environment that have not yet been cultivated in the laboratory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, U.K.

    Y. Chen & J. C. Murrell

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  1. Y. Chen
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  2. J. C. Murrell
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Microbiology Laboratory, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany

    Kenneth N. Timmis (Professor) (Professor)

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Chen, Y., Murrell, J.C. (2010). Ecology of Aerobic Methanotrophs and their Role in Methane Cycling. In: Timmis, K.N. (eds) Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_229

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