An active atmospheric methane sink in high Arctic mineral cryosols

M. C.Y. Lau; B. T. Stackhouse; A. C. Layton; A. Chauhan; T. A. Vishnivetskaya; K. Chourey; J. Ronholm; N. C.S. Mykytczuk; P. C. Bennett; G. Lamarche-Gagnon; N. Burton; W. H. Pollard; C. R. Omelon; D. M. Medvigy; R. L. Hettich; S. M. Pfiffner; L. G. Whyte; T. C. Onstott

doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.13

An active atmospheric methane sink in high Arctic mineral cryosols

M. C.Y. Lau, B. T. Stackhouse, A. C. Layton, A. Chauhan, T. A. Vishnivetskaya, K. Chourey, J. Ronholm, N. C.S. Mykytczuk, P. C. Bennett, G. Lamarche-Gagnon, N. Burton, W. H. Pollard, C. R. Omelon, D. M. Medvigy, R. L. Hettich, S. M. Pfiffner, L. G. Whyte, T. C. Onstott

Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry

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Abstract

Methane (CH₄) emission by carbon-rich cryosols at the high latitudes in Northern Hemisphere has been studied extensively. In contrast, data on the CH₄ emission potential of carbon-poor cryosols is limited, despite their spatial predominance. This work employs CH₄ flux measurements in the field and under laboratory conditions to show that the mineral cryosols at Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high Arctic consistently consume atmospheric CH₄. Omics analyses present the first molecular evidence of active atmospheric CH₄-oxidizing bacteria (atmMOB) in permafrost-affected cryosols, with the prevalent atmMOB genotype in our acidic mineral cryosols being closely related to Upland Soil Cluster α. The atmospheric (atm) CH₄ uptake at the study site increases with ground temperature between 0°C and 18°C. Consequently, the atm CH₄ sink strength is predicted to increase by a factor of 5-30 as the Arctic warms by 5-15°C over a century. We demonstrate that acidic mineral cryosols are a previously unrecognized potential of CH₄ sink that requires further investigation to determine its potential impact on larger scales. This study also calls attention to the poleward distribution of atmMOB, as well as to the potential influence of microbial atm CH₄ oxidation, in the context of regional CH₄ flux models and global warming.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1880-1891
Number of pages	12
Journal	ISME Journal
Volume	9
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.13
State	Published - Aug 23 2015

Funding

We thank the Canadian Polar Continental Shelf Program (PCSP) for their logistical support and McGill University's High Arctic Research Station. The project was supported by US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research (DE-SC0004902) to TCO and SMP; NSF grant (ARC-0909482) to ACL; and grants from Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) (206704) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant Program (298520-05) and the Northern Research Supplements Program (305490-05) to LGW. We also thank the reviewers for their valuable comments.

Funders	Funder number
Northern Research Supplements Program	305490-05
Office of Biological and Environmental Research	DE-SC0004902
US Department of Energy
National Science Foundation	ARC-0909482
Office of Science
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada	298520-05
Canada Foundation for Innovation	206704

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/ismej.2015.13

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Lau, M. C. Y., Stackhouse, B. T., Layton, A. C., Chauhan, A., Vishnivetskaya, T. A., Chourey, K., Ronholm, J., Mykytczuk, N. C. S., Bennett, P. C., Lamarche-Gagnon, G., Burton, N., Pollard, W. H., Omelon, C. R., Medvigy, D. M., Hettich, R. L., Pfiffner, S. M., Whyte, L. G., & Onstott, T. C. (2015). An active atmospheric methane sink in high Arctic mineral cryosols. ISME Journal, 9(8), 1880-1891. https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.13

@article{f04988d02177466186f1deca518e7310,

title = "An active atmospheric methane sink in high Arctic mineral cryosols",

abstract = "Methane (CH4) emission by carbon-rich cryosols at the high latitudes in Northern Hemisphere has been studied extensively. In contrast, data on the CH4 emission potential of carbon-poor cryosols is limited, despite their spatial predominance. This work employs CH4 flux measurements in the field and under laboratory conditions to show that the mineral cryosols at Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high Arctic consistently consume atmospheric CH4. Omics analyses present the first molecular evidence of active atmospheric CH4-oxidizing bacteria (atmMOB) in permafrost-affected cryosols, with the prevalent atmMOB genotype in our acidic mineral cryosols being closely related to Upland Soil Cluster α. The atmospheric (atm) CH4 uptake at the study site increases with ground temperature between 0°C and 18°C. Consequently, the atm CH4 sink strength is predicted to increase by a factor of 5-30 as the Arctic warms by 5-15°C over a century. We demonstrate that acidic mineral cryosols are a previously unrecognized potential of CH4 sink that requires further investigation to determine its potential impact on larger scales. This study also calls attention to the poleward distribution of atmMOB, as well as to the potential influence of microbial atm CH4 oxidation, in the context of regional CH4 flux models and global warming.",

author = "Lau, {M. C.Y.} and Stackhouse, {B. T.} and Layton, {A. C.} and A. Chauhan and Vishnivetskaya, {T. A.} and K. Chourey and J. Ronholm and Mykytczuk, {N. C.S.} and Bennett, {P. C.} and G. Lamarche-Gagnon and N. Burton and Pollard, {W. H.} and Omelon, {C. R.} and Medvigy, {D. M.} and Hettich, {R. L.} and Pfiffner, {S. M.} and Whyte, {L. G.} and Onstott, {T. C.}",

year = "2015",

month = aug,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1038/ismej.2015.13",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

pages = "1880--1891",

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Lau, MCY, Stackhouse, BT, Layton, AC, Chauhan, A, Vishnivetskaya, TA, Chourey, K, Ronholm, J, Mykytczuk, NCS, Bennett, PC, Lamarche-Gagnon, G, Burton, N, Pollard, WH, Omelon, CR, Medvigy, DM, Hettich, RL, Pfiffner, SM, Whyte, LG & Onstott, TC 2015, 'An active atmospheric methane sink in high Arctic mineral cryosols', ISME Journal, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. 1880-1891. https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.13

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T1 - An active atmospheric methane sink in high Arctic mineral cryosols

AU - Lau, M. C.Y.

AU - Stackhouse, B. T.

AU - Layton, A. C.

AU - Chauhan, A.

AU - Vishnivetskaya, T. A.

AU - Chourey, K.

AU - Ronholm, J.

AU - Mykytczuk, N. C.S.

AU - Bennett, P. C.

AU - Lamarche-Gagnon, G.

AU - Burton, N.

AU - Pollard, W. H.

AU - Omelon, C. R.

AU - Medvigy, D. M.

AU - Hettich, R. L.

AU - Pfiffner, S. M.

AU - Whyte, L. G.

AU - Onstott, T. C.

PY - 2015/8/23

Y1 - 2015/8/23

N2 - Methane (CH4) emission by carbon-rich cryosols at the high latitudes in Northern Hemisphere has been studied extensively. In contrast, data on the CH4 emission potential of carbon-poor cryosols is limited, despite their spatial predominance. This work employs CH4 flux measurements in the field and under laboratory conditions to show that the mineral cryosols at Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high Arctic consistently consume atmospheric CH4. Omics analyses present the first molecular evidence of active atmospheric CH4-oxidizing bacteria (atmMOB) in permafrost-affected cryosols, with the prevalent atmMOB genotype in our acidic mineral cryosols being closely related to Upland Soil Cluster α. The atmospheric (atm) CH4 uptake at the study site increases with ground temperature between 0°C and 18°C. Consequently, the atm CH4 sink strength is predicted to increase by a factor of 5-30 as the Arctic warms by 5-15°C over a century. We demonstrate that acidic mineral cryosols are a previously unrecognized potential of CH4 sink that requires further investigation to determine its potential impact on larger scales. This study also calls attention to the poleward distribution of atmMOB, as well as to the potential influence of microbial atm CH4 oxidation, in the context of regional CH4 flux models and global warming.

AB - Methane (CH4) emission by carbon-rich cryosols at the high latitudes in Northern Hemisphere has been studied extensively. In contrast, data on the CH4 emission potential of carbon-poor cryosols is limited, despite their spatial predominance. This work employs CH4 flux measurements in the field and under laboratory conditions to show that the mineral cryosols at Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian high Arctic consistently consume atmospheric CH4. Omics analyses present the first molecular evidence of active atmospheric CH4-oxidizing bacteria (atmMOB) in permafrost-affected cryosols, with the prevalent atmMOB genotype in our acidic mineral cryosols being closely related to Upland Soil Cluster α. The atmospheric (atm) CH4 uptake at the study site increases with ground temperature between 0°C and 18°C. Consequently, the atm CH4 sink strength is predicted to increase by a factor of 5-30 as the Arctic warms by 5-15°C over a century. We demonstrate that acidic mineral cryosols are a previously unrecognized potential of CH4 sink that requires further investigation to determine its potential impact on larger scales. This study also calls attention to the poleward distribution of atmMOB, as well as to the potential influence of microbial atm CH4 oxidation, in the context of regional CH4 flux models and global warming.

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ER -

An active atmospheric methane sink in high Arctic mineral cryosols

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