Metabolic, Phylogenetic, and Ecological Diversity of the Methanogenic Archaea

2008/03/01 by Yuchen Liu, William B. Whitman · 1,337 citations
Engineering · Environmental Science · #Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production #Archaea #Bacteria #Biofuel production and bioconversion #Biology #Ecology #Functional diversity #Gene #Genetics #Methane #Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena #Methanogenesis #Microbial ecology #Phylogenetic diversity #Phylogenetic tree #Phylogenetics

paper · doi:10.1196/annals.1419.019

published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1125(1), 171-189 (Wiley)

openalex publication_date 2008/03/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

Although of limited metabolic diversity, methanogenic archaea or methanogens possess great phylogenetic and ecological diversity. Only three types of methanogenic pathways are known: CO(2)-reduction, methyl-group reduction, and the aceticlastic reaction. Cultured methanogens are grouped into five orders based upon their phylogeny and phenotypic properties. In addition, uncultured methanogens that may represent new orders are present in many environments. The ecology of methanogens highlights their complex interactions with other anaerobes and the physical and chemical factors controlling their function.

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