Articles | Volume 22, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-385-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-385-2025
Research article
 | 
22 Jan 2025
Research article |  | 22 Jan 2025

Unexpected scarcity of ANME archaea in hydrocarbon seeps within Monterey Bay

Amanda C. Semler and Anne E. Dekas

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Marine hydrocarbon seeps typically host subsurface microorganisms capable of degrading methane before it is emitted to the water column. Here we describe a seep in Monterey Bay which virtually lacks known methanotrophs and where biological consumption of methane at depth is undetected. Our findings suggest that some seeps are missing this critical biofilter and that seeps may be a more significant source of methane to the water column than previously realized.
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