Methanotrophic Ability of Cryptogamic Communities of Coastal Ecosystems

Cryogenic ecosystems are crucial elements of the biosphere, acting as a repository of organic matter on a global scale. However, recent trends in average annual temperatures increasing in these regions are leading to rapid permafrost thaw and promoting the release of organic carbon through microbial degradation and further methane emission into the atmosphere. The methanogenic and methanotrophic microbial communities are the key elements of the methane cycle. We studied associations of methanotrophs with mosses, lichens, and algae in subpolar ecosystems, with the maritime climate since the process of permafrost thawing is most pronounced in coastal areas. In incubation experiments, the methane-oxidizing capacity of methanotrophs associated with cryptogamic communities growing in tundra ecosystems of the Lena River Delta (Yakutia) and King George Island (South Antarctica) was measured. It has been shown, that moss and lichen associates of the studied subpolar ecosystems have a pronounced methanotrophic activity. In addition, increasing moisture changed the methanotrophic ability of the Antarctic cryptogamic communities to the methanogenic one.