Methane-cycling microbial communities and methane emission in natural and restored peatlands

Abstract

We addressed how restoration of forestry-drained peatlands affects CH4-cycling microbes. Despite similar community compositions, the abundance of methanogens and methanotrophs was lower in restored than in natural sites and correlated with CH4 emission. Poor establishment of methanogens may thus explain low CH4 emissions on restored peatlands even 10 to 12 years after restoration. © 2012, American Society for Microbiology.