Methane-eating microbes may reduce release of gases as Antarctic ice sheets melt – Phys Org
Article Synopsis – Tiny microorganisms found in a lake in Antarctica may have a big impact on a warming world by preventing methane from seeping into the atmosphere when ice sheets melt. Researchers have estimated that over 10^14 cubic meters of methane is stored beneath Antarctic ice. Methane has a greenhouse effect that is 30 times that of carbon dioxide. Researchers found microbes living in a lake in Antarctica that convert methane into carbon dioxide as a way to make energy. They found that 99 percent of the methane released into the lake is gobbled up by these microbes. Future studies will assess whether this process is pervasive across subglacial lakes in Antarctica. To read the actual article click here.