Methane oxidizing bacteria in Arctic environments

Methane oxidising bacteria are biological filter for methane in nature

We have shown that few MOB species are present in Arctic peat soil and are active in nature. The capacity of these methane oxidizing bacteria in Arctic ecosystems to metabolize methane will be decisive for the biological methane filtering in soil and hence, the amount of methane that is emitted to the atmosphere.

Our research addresses these important microorganisms in detail; are they specifically adapted to Arctic conditions, how active are they under different temperatures, how do they respond to released carbon and different methane concentrations? Information from sequenced genomes are combined with results from controlled experiments in the laboratory.  We use existing laboratory cultures obtained from the Arctic and also isolate new methane oxidizing bacteria from sites in Norway and Russia.

The microbial methane "filter" in the Arctic: resilience and response to climate change. Project 2014-2017 financed by the NORRUSS program, The Research Council of Norway.