Methanogen Communities Of Peatlands In North America

Peatlands are unique wetlands that play a role in the storage and release of atmospheric carbon in the form of greenhouse gasses. Peatlands hold an estimated third of Earth’s terrestrial carbon. Methanogenic archaea in peatlands create methane gas as a product of their metabolism. A community analysis of methanogens in varying peatland environments was conducted to provide insight into their interactions and how the changing environment will affect them. Extracted DNA from 17 peatland sites in eastern North America was analyzed through Illumina amplicon sequencing of the mcrA gene, as well as 16S rRNA, to observe changes in methanogenic community assemblages. Community diversity was seen to increase with depth and peatland classifications with higher nutrient concentrations. The community structure of the peatlands shifted from hydrogenotrophic to acetoclastic methanogenic groups with increasing pH. Metal concentrations in the soils were also a driver of community diversity, with Ni being the most prevalent. The effect of environmental factors on the community structure of the peatlands shows how the preferences of methanogenic groups can drive diversity in peatlands. These data may provide insight into the community interactions of methanogens in peatlands and are important to consider in the face of climate change