Methane production and consumption have long been attributed to a narrow range of environmental conditions and a handful of microbial groups. Studies in recent years have however broadened our view, and have shown many novel microbes and redox processes to be involved in methanotrophy and methanogenesis. Advanced molecular methods have revealed new metabolic pathways and new archaeal and bacterial groups involved in methane production or methane oxidation. Isotope labelling studies and visualisation techniques have helped to identify syntrophic relationships and coupled redox pathways in complex communities.

In this session we invite studies addressing methane biogeochemistry and microbiology, including redox chemistry and molecular ecology. This includes for example studies regarding electron transfer mechanisms, thermodynamics, or the coupled cycling of methane and other compounds such as nitrogen, sulfur, iron or organic compounds. But also microbiome focussed studies are welcomed, such as studies on novel microbes related to methane cycling, syntrophic relationships, and novel metabolic pathways discovered in methanotrophic or methanogenic organisms. We welcome studies from all kinds of geographical locations and environments, including lake, marine, wetland, soil and permafrost environments.