Bacterial methane oxidation rates in waters and sediments of the Kara Sea and the Yenisey River estuary

Abundance of methane oxidizing bacteria and CH4 oxidation rates were studied in water and sediments of the Yenisey estuary, the Bay of Yenisey, and the adjacent region of the Kara Sea. Number of methanotrophs reached 7900 cells/ml. CH4 oxidation rate in water was 0.4-200 nl/l/day and in 1 kg of sediments it was 4-3300 nl of CH4 per day. Maximal rates of this process were recorded in water and bottom sediments of the river part of the section and minimal rates were recorded in the marine part of the section.