Microbial methane oxidation in aerated subterranean ecosystems: an upscaling and intervention framework for climate change mitigation.

Aerated subterranean ecosystems may significantly contribute to atmospheric methane removal through microbial oxidation, with potential for upscaling and climate mitigation.

• Why it matters: Subterranean methane sinks are understudied and often omitted from climate models and GHG budgets, limiting understanding of their role in global methane cycling and climate change mitigation strategies.
• What they did: The authors synthesize current knowledge of microbial methane oxidation in these ecosystems and develop a framework for upscaling methane uptake based on ventilation and biological factors, including cave and mine environments.
• The result: This work suggests that enhancing subterranean aerotrophy could serve as a passive methane biofilter, offering a novel, scalable pathway for climate mitigation, and highlights key uncertainties for future research.