Abstract
Aerobic soils serve as significant sinks for atmospheric methane, with their effectiveness influenced by the diversity and activity of soil methanotrophs. Land-use changes, particularly the conversion of natural ecosystems to agriculture, can substantially alter these microbial communities. A promising strategy to restore methane oxidation capacity is the introduction of active, ambient methane-oxidizing bacteria. The stable methane-oxidizing microbial consortium T1, dominated by Methylocystis (74%), was isolated from the soil of the unique Chernevaya Taiga forest ecosystem. The effects of inoculating this consortium were evaluated in a four week laboratory incubation experiment, using microcosms of soddy-podzolic agro-soil. Methane oxidation potential was assessed to measure methanotroph activity; methanotrophs were quantified using qPCR targeting pmoA genes; and the diversity of soil microbial communities was examined through 16S rRNA gene profiling. Inoculated soils exhibited significantly higher methane oxidation potentials compared to non-inoculated soils. Furthermore, pmoA gene copy numbers in the inoculated soils were significantly elevated (10(6) copies pmoA g(-1)), indicating stable persisted methanotrophic populations throughout the incubation period. These findings suggest that enriched methanotrophic consortium inoculation into agro-soils may be a promising strategy for restoring methane-oxidizing activity.