Open AccessOrganic matter supply and bacterial community composition predict methanogenesis rates in temperate lake sediments
Author(s) -
Bertolet Brittni L.,
West William E.,
Armitage David W.,
Jones Stuart E.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2378-2242
DOI - 10.1002/lol2.10114
Subject(s) - methanogen , methanogenesis , organic matter , sediment , microbial population biology , temperate climate , community structure , environmental science , environmental chemistry , ecology , methane , biology , chemistry , bacteria , paleontology , genetics
The objective of our study was to identify environmental conditions that structure lake sediment microbial communities and determine whether community composition explained inter‐lake variation in potential methanogenesis rates. We performed a comparative analysis of microbial communities and methanogenesis rates in 14 lake sediments along gradients of pH and primary productivity. Variation in methanogen community composition and non‐methanogen microbial community composition was best explained by pH and sediment organic matter content. However, these regulators of methanogen community structure were not associated with differences in methanogenesis rates. Instead, variation in lake methanogenesis rates was best explained by proxies for organic matter supplied to sediments (lake chlorophyll a concentration and sediment pore‐water total phosphorus) and the composition of the non‐methanogen microbial community. Our results suggest a role for sediment bacterial community in influencing methanogenesis via the supply of growth substrates.