News Climate Wetland bacteria could make more methane in a warming world The findings offer clues to a worrisome recent spike in wetlands’ methane emissions Below the peaceful surface of Chesapeake Bay tidal wetlands, methane-producing and methane-consuming microbes are competing for food. Higher temperatures may give the producers the edge. Beata Whitehead/Moment/Getty Images Plus By Carolyn Gramling 1 hour ago Warming temperatures may cause methane emissions from wetlands to rise — by helping methane-producing bacteria thrive. Higher temperatures favor the activity of wetland soil microbes that produce the potent greenhouse gas, at the expense of other microbes that can consume it, researchers report April 23 in Science Advances. The scientists, led by microbiologist Jaehyun Lee of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology in Seoul, conducted a summer field study in coastal wetlands near the Chesapeake Bay, analyzing soil conditions in a set of marshy plots with differing environmental conditions. The findings may offer clues to a puzzling and worrisome spike in wetland emissions of methane over the last decade. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.