Page 50 - Microbial methane cycling in a warming world From biosphere to atmosphere Michiel H in t Zandt

Chapter 2. The diversity of methane cycling microorganisms Conclusions and perspectives
Taken together, these studies and examples emphasize the fascinating diversity of the CH4 cycling microorganisms. Future detailed field studies using state-of-the-art biogeochemical and microbiology methods in selected environments are needed to further unravel suitable niches and samples for the discovery of new CH4-dependent metal reducers. Such samples will yield many more exciting discoveries of chemolithoautotrophic spookmicrobes when the microbial ecology and interactions are investigated under controlled substrate-limited conditions in bioreactor systems.
We should also keep in mind that, while the enrichment and characterization of CH4 cycling microorganisms is of great interest to microbiologists, these organisms do not live in isolation. In ecosystems, CH4 cycling microorganisms must collaborate to remove toxic intermediates or compete for limiting resources. Microbial interactions are highly complex, and a multitude of mechanisms and compounds are involved. Although this is challenging if not unfeasible to quantify, it is important to keep track of the bigger picture of an ecosystem when studying its individual components.
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