Project: METHAnogenic Biodiversity and activity in Arctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems

Methane emissions from aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems play a crucial role in global warming, which is affecting highlatitude ecosystems in particular. As major contributors to methane emissions in natural environments, the microbial communities involved in methane production and oxidation deserve a special attention. Microbial diversity and activity are expected to be strongly affected by the already observed (and further predicted) temperature increase in highlatitude ecosystems, eventually resulting in disrupted feedback methane emissions. The METHABASE project has been designed to investigate the intricate relations between microbial diversity and methane emissions in Arctic, Subarctic and Subantarctic ecosystems, under natural (baseline) conditions and in response to simulated temperature increments. To achieve this highly challenging purpose, the METHABASE project relies on the use of state-of-the-art molecular tools and on a pluridisciplinary team including experts from Europe (France, Belgium, Norway) and South America (Chile, Uruguay), as well as local partners in Siberia (Russia), Alaska (USA) and Patagonia (Chile) for field expedition support.

Acronym METHABASE (Reference Number: ELAC2014/DCC-0092)
Duration 01/01/2015 - 01/01/2018
Project Topic Biodiversity assessment and monitoring
Project Results
(after finalisation)
not yet available
Network ERANet-LAC
Call ERANet-LAC 1st Joint Call on Research and Innovation between the EU Member States and Associated Countries and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment Coordinator France
2 Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable Partner Uganda
3 Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso Partner Chile
4 Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences Partner Belgium
5 UiT The Arctic University of Norway Partner Norway
6 University of Magallanes Partner Chile
7 P.I. Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Partner Russia
8 University of Alaska Fairbanks Partner United States