Subglacial Methanogenesis and Its Role in Planetary Carbon Cycling

E. Boyd; M. L. Skidmore; A. C. Mitchell; C. Bakermans; J. Peters

Abstract

Ice currently covers approximately 10% of the Earth’s land mass, yet the role of sub-ice biomes in global biogeochemical cycles, including that of carbon, is poorly understood. Methanogenic archaea have a unique role in the global carbon cycle as producers of the greenhouse gas, methane and recent modeling studies have highlighted the potential of basal sediments of ice sheets as sources of methane during deglaciation. High concentrations of methane have been measured in the basal ice of the GRIP core from the Greenland Ice Sheet and methane-producing enrichments have been reported from John Evans Glacier, Canada; however, it is unclear whether the microbial consortia was remnant or active in situ. We discuss the role of subglacial methanogenesis in planetary carbon cycling in light of new field data.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 14 Dec 2009
Event	American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting - San Fransisco, United States of America Duration: 13 Dec 2010 → 17 Dec 2010 Conference number: 2010

Conference

Conference	American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting
Abbreviated title	AGU
Country/Territory	United States of America
City	San Fransisco
Period	13 Dec 2010 → 17 Dec 2010

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http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009AGUFM.U53C..11B

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Cite this

@conference{949224d5b13e473e84a3a0f108819da9,

title = "Subglacial Methanogenesis and Its Role in Planetary Carbon Cycling",

abstract = "Ice currently covers approximately 10% of the Earth{\textquoteright}s land mass, yet the role of sub-ice biomes in global biogeochemical cycles, including that of carbon, is poorly understood. Methanogenic archaea have a unique role in the global carbon cycle as producers of the greenhouse gas, methane and recent modeling studies have highlighted the potential of basal sediments of ice sheets as sources of methane during deglaciation. High concentrations of methane have been measured in the basal ice of the GRIP core from the Greenland Ice Sheet and methane-producing enrichments have been reported from John Evans Glacier, Canada; however, it is unclear whether the microbial consortia was remnant or active in situ. We discuss the role of subglacial methanogenesis in planetary carbon cycling in light of new field data.",

author = "E. Boyd and Skidmore, {M. L.} and Mitchell, {A. C.} and C. Bakermans and J. Peters",

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note = "American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, AGU ; Conference date: 13-12-2010 Through 17-12-2010",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Subglacial Methanogenesis and Its Role in Planetary Carbon Cycling

AU - Boyd, E.

AU - Skidmore, M. L.

AU - Mitchell, A. C.

AU - Bakermans, C.

AU - Peters, J.

N1 - Conference code: 2010

PY - 2009/12/14

Y1 - 2009/12/14

N2 - Ice currently covers approximately 10% of the Earth’s land mass, yet the role of sub-ice biomes in global biogeochemical cycles, including that of carbon, is poorly understood. Methanogenic archaea have a unique role in the global carbon cycle as producers of the greenhouse gas, methane and recent modeling studies have highlighted the potential of basal sediments of ice sheets as sources of methane during deglaciation. High concentrations of methane have been measured in the basal ice of the GRIP core from the Greenland Ice Sheet and methane-producing enrichments have been reported from John Evans Glacier, Canada; however, it is unclear whether the microbial consortia was remnant or active in situ. We discuss the role of subglacial methanogenesis in planetary carbon cycling in light of new field data.

AB - Ice currently covers approximately 10% of the Earth’s land mass, yet the role of sub-ice biomes in global biogeochemical cycles, including that of carbon, is poorly understood. Methanogenic archaea have a unique role in the global carbon cycle as producers of the greenhouse gas, methane and recent modeling studies have highlighted the potential of basal sediments of ice sheets as sources of methane during deglaciation. High concentrations of methane have been measured in the basal ice of the GRIP core from the Greenland Ice Sheet and methane-producing enrichments have been reported from John Evans Glacier, Canada; however, it is unclear whether the microbial consortia was remnant or active in situ. We discuss the role of subglacial methanogenesis in planetary carbon cycling in light of new field data.

UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2160/10414

M3 - Abstract

T2 - American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting

Y2 - 13 December 2010 through 17 December 2010

ER -