Constrained forest methane sink by thermal adaptation of soil methanotrophs

Climate warming can stimulate soil methanotroph-mediated CH4 oxidation, thereby mitigating the growth in atmospheric CH4 concentrations in response to anthropogenetic activities. However, the positive response of microbial activity to warming often weakens over time owing to thermal adaptation. Whether soil methanotrophs also show such adaptation in response to warming remains unknown, adding considerable uncertainty into predictions of soil CH4 sink in a warming world.