Fungal Production of Methyl Halides

University Of New Hampshire, Durham NH

Investigators

Abstract

This project involves the study of methyl bromide (CH3Br) and methyl chloride (CH3Cl) from fungi in several environments including temperate forest, salt-marsh, fresh-water wetland, and agricultural ecosystems. Several types of common fungi will be isolated from soil and coarse woody debris, grown in the laboratory and their ability to produce methyl halide investigated, and also re-introduced into sterilized 'natural' soils to determine methyl halide production rates in the natural environment. The effect of soil temperature and moisture levels on the production rates will be studied. Methyl bromide and methyl chloride are important atmospheric halides because they can affect tropospheric and stratospheric ozone chemistry. Their atmospheric budgets are not well understood.