Fungi – a recently discovered source of methane

Large amounts of methane are produced in the biosphere and released into the atmosphere. The junior research group ORCAS at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry explores new sources of methane in the environment and describes the underlying formation mechanisms. Fungi are an important component of terrestrial biological communities. Just recently, the researchers showed that fungi also release methane in their metabolism. But it is still unknown to what extent this new source of methane contributes to the methane balance of terrestrial ecosystems.