Soil methane sink may be larger than thought, three-model analysis finds
Methane-munching microbes in soil might be more important than previously thought, a new study finds. Soil is an important carbon sink, and scientists are still learning much about the diversity of its microbial communities. They're being uncovered from Arctic soils to desert sands, and some of them are sucking down methane—a greenhouse gas about 27–30 times more potent than carbon dioxide over…
New research suggests soil microbes are more effective methane sinks than previously estimated. Methane-munching soil organisms, known as methanotrophs, can remove methane from the atmosphere. Their impact is significant, as they may store up to 40-45 gigatons of methane annually globally, which is higher than earlier estimates of 28-35 gigatons.
The discrepancy in estimates between process-based models that focus on biogeochemical processes and atmospheric inversion models that start with atmospheric methane concentrations has been a challenge. To address this, scientists employed a three-pronged approach, combining process-based, machine-learning, and atmospheric inversion modeling.
This combination yielded more reliable estimates and better alignment with observed atmospheric methane levels and carbon isotope composition. The revised soil methane sink significantly enhances the accuracy of global carbon cycle models, indicating that the microbial methane sink has been underappreciated and that this improved modeling approach can help refine our understanding of the global carbon cycle.
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