Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026
08:13
A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
17.9K
Positive diversity-functioning relationships in model communities of methanotrophic bacteria
Elvira Schnyder1, Paul L E Bodelier2, Martin Hartmann3
1Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
Ecology
|January 12, 2018
Summary
High microbial diversity in soils boosts methane oxidation, a key process for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Increased biodiversity led to greater methane assimilation and larger bacterial communities, highlighting its importance for soil health.
Area of Science:
- Soil microbiology
- Ecosystem functions
- Greenhouse gas mitigation
Background:
- Terrestrial biodiversity is largely microbial and resides in soils.
- The role of soil microbial diversity in ecosystem functions remains underexplored.
- Methanotrophic bacteria are crucial for mediating greenhouse gas emissions from soils.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of methanotrophic bacterial diversity on methane oxidation rates.
- To assess how microbial community diversity influences soil ecosystem functions.
- To understand the relationship between biodiversity and greenhouse gas regulation in soils.
Main Methods:
- Assembled artificial methanotrophic bacterial communities of varying diversity levels.
- Inoculated sterile soil microcosms with these communities.
- Measured methane oxidation via gas chromatography; analyzed community composition and size using qPCR and sequencing.
Main Results:
- Microbial diversity exhibited a positive overyielding effect on methane oxidation, especially early in the experiment.
- Higher methane assimilation in diverse communities resulted in increased bacterial growth and larger populations.
- Overyielding in methane consumption and community size were positively correlated, independent of phylogenetic or functional diversity.
Conclusions:
- Biodiversity-ecosystem-function relationships are consistent across scales and likely widespread in nature.
- High diversity of methanotrophs is crucial for effective methane oxidation in soils.
- Maintaining soil biodiversity can aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Related Concept Videos
02:12Relationship Formation
46.3K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
46.3K
00:30What are Populations and Communities?
38.1K
Overview
38.1K
02:11The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
47.5K
Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
47.5K
01:14Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Relationship: Model Components
21
Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK–PD) modeling is essential in drug development and clinical pharmacology. It provides a quantitative framework to predict drug behavior and response over time. This approach integrates pharmacokinetics (PK), which describes the drug's absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, with pharmacodynamics (PD), which characterizes the drug’s biological effects and mechanisms of action.The disposition kinetics of a drug determine its plasma...
21
01:28Ending Relationships
207
The dissolution of intimate relationships presents complex emotional and psychological challenges, particularly when emotional bonds are strong, the relationship is long-standing, and perceived alternatives are limited. This distress often intensifies in romantic breakups, where the initiator may experience greater turmoil than the rejected partner. Contributing factors include residual attachment, guilt over causing pain, and uncertainty about how to manage the situation. The stress is further...
207
02:40The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes
39.5K
The “tree of life” describes the evolution of life and the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The root of the tree is the common ancestor to all life on Earth. All other species radiate from this point, much like the branches of a tree. The numerous tips of these branches on the tree of life represent every living, or extant, species. Extinct species, which are species that no longer exist, can be found towards the center of the tree. Currently, these organisms, both...
39.5K