Methane oxidation and phospholipid fatty acid composition in a podzolic soil profile

We compared methane oxidation activity in laboratory incubations of samples from a podzolic soil profile to the microbial community structure of the soil, determined as the content and composition of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). The abundances of two fatty acids considered unique for methanotrophs (and the abundances of all other quantified PLFAs) were very weakly related to methane oxidation. This is in contrast to the situation in environments with much higher methane supply, indicating that these fatty acids should not be used as biomarkers for methanotrophs in upland forest soils.