Abstract
We studied methanogen activity—measured by in vitro methane production potential and by detection of the messenger RNA (mRNA) of a functional gene—in two boreal fens under high and deep water table (WT) level conditions resulting from a rainy growing season and a dry growing season. The depth of the highest CH4-producing layers differed between the years. In the wet year, the highest CH4 production rate was around 20 cm below the mean WT. In the dry year, the highest rates were measured close to the peat surface, well above the mean WT. The distribution of activity in the peat profiles of the two fens appeared to be site specific. Under deep-WT conditions, CH4 production potential was generally lower than that under high-WT conditions. Detection of the mRNA of the methanogen-specific mcrA gene indicated in situ methanogenesis in both water-saturated peat (below the WT) and unsaturated peat (above the WT). Analyses of DNA-derived and mRNA-derived methanogen community structures showed greater similarity between those two in water-saturated peat than in unsaturated peat. This suggested that favorable conditions promoted the activity of most members in methanogen communities, but unfavorable conditions showed differences between distinct community members in adaptation to adverse conditions.
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Acknowledgements
This study was financially supported by the Academy of Finland (project codes 118493 and 109816) and by the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry through the project “The green house gas balances of restored peatlands.” Juha Puranen is warmly thanked for his accurate laboratory work, and Anuliina Putkinen is acknowledged for her assistance in introducing molecular techniques. Heikki Vesala, Kari Alatalo, Lauri Suutari, and Hannu Autio, from the Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) in Muhos and Parkano, are kindly acknowledged for assistance with peat sampling. Anne Siika and Sari Elomaa from Metla in Vantaa are thanked for preparing the figures.
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Kotiaho, M., Fritze, H., Merilä, P. et al. Methanogen activity in relation to water table level in two boreal fens. Biol Fertil Soils 46, 567–575 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-010-0461-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-010-0461-0