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Science 14 June 1974:
Vol. 184. no. 4142, pp. 1181 - 1183
DOI: 10.1126/science.184.4142.1181
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Articles

Methane Formation in Living Trees: A Microbial Origin

J. G. Zeikus 1 and J. C. Ward 2

1 Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706
2 Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Madison, Wisconsin 53705

Visibly healthy hardwood trees located on poorly drained soils contained high pressures of methane. Heartwood from these trees was water-soaked, neutral to alkaline in pH, fetid in odor, and infested with a diverse population of obligately anaerobic bacteria. the bacterium responsible for methane formation in tree. was isolated and characterized as a member of the genus Methanobacterium.

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)