Deep-sea methane filter forms in years, not decades

A biological methane filter that develops on the seafloor has been shown to form much more rapidly than previously thought, according to a new study published in *National Science Review*. An international research team, which included a scientist from the University of Bremen, monitored a newly established methane seep in the deep ocean for six years and documented the swift establishment of microbial communities that oxidize methane before it escapes into the water column.

The findings challenge earlier models that projected decades for such filter systems to mature, suggesting that natural mitigation of methane emissions can occur on a much shorter timescale. The accelerated development observed in the deep‑sea seep provides fresh insight into the dynamics of methane cycling and may refine predictions of greenhouse‑gas fluxes from oceanic sources.