Distribution of methane-cycling archaea in buried ridge flank sediment: community zonation, activity, and potential environmental drivers.

ABSTRACT: Subseafloor sediments harbor Earth's biggest reservoir of methane, with most of this methane being produced biologically by methanogenic archaea (methanogens). Yet, little is known about the controls on in situ abundances, community structure, and biochemical pathways of methanogens, and closely related anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea (ANMEs), in these environments. Here we examine the vertical distribution of methane-cycling archaea at Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Site U1301, an offshore drilling site on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, that was previously characterized with respect to its in situ temperature profile, sediment provenance, geochemical gradients, and general microbial community structure. We integrate (1) functional gene analyses (mcr</

SUBMITTER: Lever MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12683337 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature