Dissertation Research: Anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to denitrification in the Choptank Basin (MD USA)

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Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change, and excess nitrogen in coastal waterways can cause a decline in water quality. A newly discovered microbial process could reduce the amount of methane reaching the atmosphere and nitrogen reaching waterways. This microbial process converts methane into the less potent greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and toxic nitrite into unreactive nitrogen gas. However, it is not known if this microbial process occurs in nature. This study will investigate whether this process occurs in nature, and if so at what rate, in agricultural groundwater on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. This study will provide information on the rates of anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to denitrification in agricultural systems, which tend to have high nitrogen levels. Unlike all previous work on this process that has occurred only in the laboratory, this project will investigate this microbial process using experiments conducted in the field. If this microbial process is better understood, it could potentially be used as a remediation tool to reduce the leaching of nitrogen into surrounding waters and methane emissions. Results from this study will be shared with local farmers and stakeholders in an effort to implement best management practices that would stimulate this new microbial process to reduce nitrogen and methane losses from farm fields. Scientific training of graduate and undergraduate students will be supported by this project through providing experience with biogeochemical methods and instrumentation.