A post for the scientists…..
About this thesis thingy that’s been keeping Gail busy these last few months (years in fact). It strikes me that she’s been dragging her feet rather when it comes to publishing her research.
Now I may well be, after Gail, the second most knowledgeable creature on the planet on her subject of ‘anaerobic methane oxidation in soils’. Not only have I patiently watched her hour upon hour sat at her computer writing up all her results, I’ve also helped her with her fieldwork (see picture) and even, occasionally, but don’t tell anyone, assisted in the lab. So I’ve decided to write a review paper on the subject, for open-access online publication. To help both her career and mine.
First let me translate the title into English. I think ‘How Bugs in Bogs Eat Methane’ sums it up nicely. Gail says this wouldn’t get past her supervisor, but to press on anyway.
Introduction: Methane gas is a Bad Thing because of Global Warming. Bugs (microbes) in boggy soils produce methane. Usually. Everyone knows that. But maybe there’s also some boggy soils which have bugs that eat up methane. Let’s go and have a look at a whole load of bogs and see if we can find any that eat methane.
Methods: With the help of a canine companion, lots of bogs were visited and everyone involved got very dirty digging up soil (great fun!) and taking it back to the lab, where Gail did lots of tests (boring). These experiments seemed to involve attempts to suffocate the bugs in the soil by depriving them of oxygen. (At one point I considered calling in the RSPCA, but apparently you’re allowed to do this sort of thing to single-celled organisms)
Results: Almost all the soils from the bogs were very boring and produced methane, but eventually Gail tested one that wasn’t boring and ‘proved her hypothesis’, i.e. it ate methane. Gail thinks the bugs in this soil must be very clever because they can breathe iron or something rather than oxygen.
Discussion: I guess breathing iron and eating methane would be a cool thing to do if you’re a microbe. I wonder why some soils have these bugs and others don’t. Please give Gail a grant so she can do some more work and find out.
P.S. Should any reader wish to cite this paper in their research, the correct format is:
Westie, H. and Riekie, G.J. (2009). How Bugs in Bogs Eat Methane. JSSDWB*, vol 1, issue 1, pp1-1.
*Journal of the Scientific Society of Dogs with Blogs.
6 comments:
Well Mommy is a horticulturist and she thought that was cool, but sadly has no money to sponsor anothers interest in soils and entomology, or as I call it dirt and bugs!
-Kira The BeaWootiful
My goodness Hamish!
That was fascinating - we didn't realise there was such an interest in either bogs or bugs!
It just goes to show - each to his own.
You must be quite unique in your field Hamish as canine companion to this research!
We do hope that you sometimes just jump into the bog regardless and come out covered in mud - just for the hell of it!
Keep up the good work Hamish.
love
Martha & Bailey xx
When are you going to publish your paper?
Hmmm, very interesting. Perhaps your Mom should collaborate with this fellow (www.mrmethane.com) then again, maybe not.
Stop by to see your wonderful performance in Beagadoon. You may be surprised to see how tall you look on screen!
Your pal,
Petey
Maybe you could do a paper on the bugs in Dog WOods ... we don't have bogs here am afraid ... we do however have quick sand! But thankfully that's not in our neck of the woods ...
Licks and Wags,
Tuffy of Dog Woods
Pee.Ess : I found your paper a fascinating read!
Hay Hamish luv d name HAM-ISH MAKES ME HUNGRY!....Cool Blog oh BTW(by the way) im nt goona eat you...by sayin' your name makes me hungry!....oh anywa please come look at My Blog im New ....your blog inspired me to join you should be proud!=] Sloppy licks Penny
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