Levine, U.Y. and T. M. Schmidt
Presented at the All Scientist Poster Reception (2007-05-14 to 2007-05-14 )
Populations of methane-consuming bacteria (methanotrophs) from a deciduous forest soil (DF) and a conventional agricultural soil (T1) were characterized by creating culture independent clone libraries of the particulate methane monooxygenase gene (pmoA). Libraries were constructed from 0-10 cm soil cores taken in December 2004 and June 2005 from treatments at the Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research Site (KBS).
Methanotroph populations in the forest soil were more diverse than the T1 populations due to increased methanotroph richness and evenness. The June methanotroph population was also more diverse than the December population in both DF and T1. The observed treatment and seasonal diversity differences correlate with previously observed methane consumption rates in the DF and T1 soils at KBS, suggesting a direct link between methanotroph diversity and function.