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Published 2009 | public
Journal Article

Methane formation in aerobic environments

Abstract

Methane (CH_4), the second principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas after CO_2, is the most abundant reduced organic compound in the atmosphere and plays a central role in atmospheric chemistry. Therefore a comprehensive understanding of its sources and sinks and the parameters that control emissions is prerequisite to simulate past, present and future atmospheric conditions. Until recently biological CH_4 formation has been associated exclusively with anoxic environments and methanogenic activity. However, there is growing and convincing evidence of alternative pathways in the aerobic biosphere including terrestrial plants, soils, marine algae and animals. Identifying and describing these sources is essential to complete our understanding of the biogeochemical cycles that control CH_4 in the atmospheric environment and its influence as a greenhouse gas.

Additional Information

© 2009 CSIRO. Manuscript received 3 November 2009, accepted 17 November 2009. We thank N. Brüggemann, E. Damm, M. Ghyczy, A. Jugold, C. Kammann, D. Messenger, A. Sessitsch, J. Stefels, I. Vigano, Z. Wang and A. Wishkerman for presenting their work at the 'First workshop on aerobic methane formation in the environment including plants and animals' held on 26 and 27 February 2009 at the MPI for Chemistry in Mainz. We are grateful to J. Hamilton and K. Smith for reviewing the manuscript. We thank EON Ruhrgas for financial support of the workshop. F. Keppler is supported by the European Science Foundation (European Young Investigator Award) and the German Science Foundation (KE 884/2–1).

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 23, 2023