News Climate

Wetland bacteria could make more methane in a warming world

The findings offer clues to a worrisome recent spike in wetlands’ methane emissions

A photograph of the sun setting over Chesapeake Bay wetlands. A warming climate could increase bacterial methane production in wetlands.

Below the peaceful surface of Chesapeake Bay tidal wetlands, methane-producing and methane-consuming microbes are competing for food. Higher temperatures may give the producers the edge.

Beata Whitehead/Moment/Getty Images Plus

By Carolyn Gramling

Warming temperatures may cause methane emissions from wetlands to rise — by helping methane-producing bacteria thrive. Higher temperatures favor the activity of wetland soil microbes that produce the potent greenhouse gas, at the expense of other microbes that can consume it, researchers report April 23 in Science Advances.