B. Gilbert et P. Frenzel, METHANOTROPHIC BACTERIA IN THE RHIZOSPHERE OF RICE MICROCOSMS AND THEIR EFFECT ON POREWATER METHANE CONCENTRATION AND METHANE EMISSION, Biology and fertility of soils, 20(2), 1995, pp. 93-100
CH4 emission from irrigated rice field is one of the major sources in
the global budget of atmoshperic CH4. Rates of CH4 emission depend on
both CH4 production in anoxic parts of the soil and on CH4 oxidation a
t oxic-anoxic interfaces. In the present study we used planted and unp
lanted rice microcosms and characterized them by numbers of CH4-oxidiz
ing bacteria (MOB), porewater CH4 and O-2 concentrations, and CH4 flux
es. Plant roots had a stimulating effect on both the number of total s
oil bacteria and CH4-oxidizing bacteria as determined by fluorescein i
sothiocyanate fluorescent staining and the most probable number techni
que, respectively. In the rhizosphere and on the root surface CH4-oxid
izing bacteria were enriched during the growth period of rice, while t
heir numbers remained constant in unplanted soils. In the presence of
rice plants, the porewater CH4 concentration was significantly lower,
with 0.1-0.4 mM CH4, than in unplanted microcosms, with 0.5-0.7 mM CH4
. O-2 was detected at depths of up to 16 mm in planted microcosms, whe
reas it had disappeared at a depth of 2 mm in the unplanted experiment
s. CH4 oxidation was determined as the difference between the CH4 emis
sion rates under oxic (air) and anoxic (N-2) headspace, and by inhibit
ion experiments with C2H2. Flux measurements showed varying oxic emiss
ion rates of between 2.5 and 29.0 mmol CH4 m(-2) day(-1). An average o
f 34% of the anoxically emitted CH4 was oxidized in the planted microc
osms, which was surprisingly constant. The rice rhizosphere appeared t
o be an important oxic-anoxic interface, significantly reducing CH4 em
ission.