Methane production and consumption in anoxic marine sediments

The production of methane in anoxic environments can lead to significant accumulations of this gas in appropriate marine sediments. However, the uniformly low methane concentrations in marine, anoxic, sulfate-reducing sea water and sediments represents a balance between production by methanogenic bacteria and consumption by sulfate-reducing bacteria. The primary sink for anaerobically generated methane in marine sediments is sulfate reduction, not aerobic oxidation. *Present address: Walla Walla College Marine Station, 174 Rosario Beach, Anacortes, Washington 98221