Diversity and potential activity of methanotrophs in high methane-emitting permafrost thaw ponds.

ABSTRACT: Lakes and ponds derived from thawing permafrost are strong emitters of carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere, but little is known about the methane oxidation processes in these waters. Here we investigated the distribution and potential activity of aerobic methanotrophic bacteria in thaw ponds in two types of eroding permafrost landscapes in subarctic Québec: peatlands and mineral soils. We hypothesized that methanotrophic community composition and potential activity differ regionally as a function of the landscape type and permafrost degradation stage, and locally as a function of depth-dependent oxygen conditions. Our analysis of pmoA transcripts by Illumina amplicon sequencing and quantitative PCR showed that the communities were composed of diverse and potentially active lineage

SUBMITTER: Crevecoeur S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5705078 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature