Project information
Project manager
Henrik Drake
Other project members
Mats Åström, Mikael Tillberg, Linnaeus University; Thomas Zack, Gothenburg University, Sweden; Peter W Reiners, University of Arizona, USA; Martin Whitehouse, Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Sweden
Participating organizations
Linnaeus University, Gothenburg University, Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Sweden; University of Arizona, USA
Financier
The Swedish Research Council Formas
Timetable
1 Jan 2018-31 Dec 2020
Subject
(Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences)
More about the project
It is well known that microbial production and consumption of the greenhouse gas methane occurs in near surface environments such as marine sediments, and that these processes influence the flux of methane to the atmosphere where it contributes to global warming, one of the main global environmental threats. Recent findings show that methane formation and consumption (anaerobic oxidation) also occur in one of the least understood ecosystems on Earth, the crystalline continental crust. This can potentially have negative environmental effects if the gas seeps or is exploited, but also positive effects if gas consumption is significant.
The results of this project will answer fundamental questions on deep gas circulation, and allow definition of whether these processes are significant in a global warming perspective. The scope is relevant for several of the Swedish environmental objectives and the Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
The project is related to the project Characteristics and extent of microbial anaerobic methane oxidation and sulfate reduction in the deep terrestrial subsurface over geological time scales.
