Effects of alternative electron acceptors on the activity and community structure of methane-producing and consuming microbes in the sediments of two shallow boreal lakes

The role of anaerobic CH4 oxidation in controlling lake sediment CH4 emissions remains unclear. Therefore, we tested how relevant EAs (SO42-, NO3-, Fe3+, Mn4+, O-2) affect CH4 production and oxidation in the sediments of two shallow boreal lakes. The changes induced to microbial communities by the addition of Fe3+ and Mn4+ were studied using next-generation sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA and methyl-coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) genes and mcrA transcripts. Putative anaerobic CH4-oxidizing archaea (ANME-2D) and bacteria (NC 10) were scarce (up to 3.4% and 0.5% of archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes, respectively), likely due to the low environmental stability associated with shallow depths. Consequently, the potential anaerobic CH4 oxidation (0-2.1 nmol g(-1) (dry weight (DW)) d(-1)) was not enhanced by the addition of EAs, nor important in consuming the produced CH4 (0.6-82.5 nmol g(-1) (DW)d-1). Instead, the increased EA availability suppressed CH4 production via the outcompetition of methanogens by anaerobically respiring bacteria and via the increased protection of organic matter from microbial degradation induced by Fe3+ and Mn4+. Future studies could particularly assess whether anaerobic CH4 oxidation has any ecological relevance in reducing CH4 emissions from the numerous CH4-emitting shallow lakes in boreal and tundra landscapes.