Methane creates a lot of life in the Arctic – FiskeribladetFiskaren

It says fellow and lead author of the study Emmelie Åström, writes Centre for Arctic gas hydrate, environment and climate on their websites.

 

Scientists have recently discovered several discharge locations of methane on the actual re- shelf, so called cold emission locations, which are places where mainly methane seeping from the seabed.

 

– For the first time we have evidence that methane emissions clearly affects the fauna at the bottom of the sea in the High Arctic around Svalbard, said Astrom.

 

Around methane seeps researchers found large quantities of bristle worms, a type called for siboglinider. These organisms can using microbes, converting methane to nutrients by chemical reaction. In deep water there is no sunlight, and the method is very effective in these areas.

 

The total biomass was much higher around the discharge sites than other areas, but it requires a lot of an organism to survive in this environment.

 

– Although there was much life around emissions, consisted mostly of a few species that are highly tolerant to the difficult conditions in methane-rich environments, or specially adapted to live on methane as an energy source. This led to a substantially lower biodiversity, says Åström to the website.

 

Åstrøm believes the research has made important discoveries, which can become highly relevant in a marine environment where the temperature is likely to rise over the years. It can also lead to even greater methane emissions than today.