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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Jonesboro, Arkansas » Delta Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #412037
Research Project: Optimizing the Management of Irrigated Cropping Systems in the Lower Mississippi River Basin

Location: Delta Water Management Research

Title: Improved scientific knowledge of methanogenesis and methanotrophy needed to slow climate change during the next 30 years

Author
item DAVIDSON, ERIC - University Of Maryland
item SEMRAU, JEREMY - University Of Michigan
item NGUYEN, NGUYEN - American Society For Microbiology
item BOYLE, PATRICK - Ginkgo Bioworks
item BRUNS, MARY ANN - Pennsylvania State University
item TIEDJE, JIM - Michigan State University
item ZHENG, JIANQIU - American Society For Microbiology
item Adviento-Borbe, Arlene
item CADILLO-QUIROZ, HINSBY - Arizona State University
item CARDO, ZOE - Marine Biology Laboratory

Submitted to: American Society for Microbiology
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/21/2023
Publication Date: 10/17/2023
Citation: Davidson, E.A., Semrau, J.D., Nguyen, N.K., Boyle, P., Bruns, M., Tiedje, J., Zheng, J., Adviento-Borbe, A.A., Cadillo-Quiroz, H., Cardo, Z. 2023. Improved scientific knowledge of methanogenesis and methanotrophy needed to slow climate change during the next 30 years. American Society for Microbiology. 14(5). https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02059-23.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.02059-23

Interpretive Summary: Microbes are major consumers and producers of methane, a major factor in climate change. The American society for Microbiology (ASM), has released a new report, "The Role of Microbes in Mediating Methane Emissions." The report, which follows the colloquium held with the American Geophysical Union with additional support from the Soil Science Society of America, states recommendations to further the scientific community's understanding of microbial processes of methane production and consumption to mitigate methane emissions and address climate change.

Technical Abstract: Owing to the high radiative forcing and short atmospheric residence time of methane, abatement of methane emissions offers a crucial opportunity for effective, rapid slowing of climate change. Here, we report on a colloquium jointly sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology and the American Geophysical Union, where 35 national and international experts from academia, the private sector, and government met to review understanding of the microbial processes of methanogenesis and methanotrophy. The colloquium addressed how advanced knowledge of the microbiology of methane production and consumption could inform waste management, including landfills and composts, and three areas of agricultural management: enteric emissions from ruminant livestock, manure management, and rice cultivation. Support for both basic and applied research in microbiology and its applications is urgently needed to accelerate the realization of the large potential for these near-term solutions to counteract climate change.