The stability of methane hydrates at continental margins faces a significant threat from rising ocean temperatures. This scenario could potentially trigger the release of substantial (yet unconstrained) amounts of methane into the overlying water column and eventually into the atmosphere. Within marine sediments, the biologically mediated process of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is critical in mitigating such benthic methane discharge. However, AOM is not always ‘super’-efficient. There are two reasons why.
Intranet
Français
English