Drivers and functionality of methanogenic niches within an arid landfill (mcrA)

Microbiome analysis is now common in select municipal and service ecosystems, including wastewater treatment and anaerobic digestion, but its potential as a diagnostic tool has not yet been evaluated in landfills. Methanogenesis mediated by Archaea is known to be highly active in solid waste microbiomes but is commonly neglected in studies employing next generation sequencing techniques. High resolution of methanogenic niches within a single landfill details operational decisions that positively or negatively impact the commercial production of methane known as biomethanation. Included in this bioproject are mcrA sequences only. The same samples were amplified for 16S and are included in a separate bioproject.