Methane Emissions Research Articles

Fe(II)Cl2 amendment suppresses pond methane emissions by stimulating iron-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane.

Aquatic ecosystems are large contributors to global methane (CH4) emissions. Eutrophication significantly enhances CH4-production as it stimulates methanogenesis. Mitigation measures aimed at reducing eutrophication, such as the addition of metal salts to immobilize phosphate (PO43-), are now common practice. However, the effects of such remedies on methanogenic and methanotrophic communities-and therefore on CH4-cycling-remain largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that Fe(II)Cl2 addition, used as PO43- binder, differentially affected microbial CH4 cycling-processes in field experiments and batch incubations. In the field experiments, carried out in enclosures in a eutrophic pond, Fe(II)Cl2 application lowered in-situ CH4 emissions by lowering net CH4-production, while sediment aerobic CH4-oxidation rates-as found in batch incubations of sediment from the enclosures-did not differ from control. In Fe(II)Cl2-treated sediments, a decrease in net CH4-production rates could be attributed to the stimulation of iron-dependent anaerobic CH4-oxidation (Fe-AOM). In batch incubations, anaerobic CH4-oxidation and Fe(II)-production started immediately after CH4 addition, indicating Fe-AOM, likely enabled by favorable indigenous iron cycling conditions and the present methanotroph community in the pond sediment. 16S rRNA sequencing data confirmed the presence of anaerobic CH4-oxidizing archaea and both iron-reducing and iron-oxidizing bacteria in the tested sediments. Thus, besides combatting eutrophication, Fe(II)Cl2 application can mitigate CH4 emissions by reducing microbial net CH4-production and stimulating Fe-AOM.

Methane emission from a cool brown dwarf

Beyond our Solar System, aurorae have been inferred from radio observations of isolated brown dwarfs1,2. Within our Solar System, giant planets have auroral emission with signatures across the electromagnetic spectrum including infrared emission of H3+ and methane. Isolated brown dwarfs with auroral signatures in the radio have been searched for corresponding infrared features, but only null detections have been reported3. CWISEP J193518.59-154620.3. (W1935 for short) is an isolated brown dwarf with a temperature of approximately 482 K. Here we report James Webb Space Telescope observations of strong methane emission from W1935 at 3.326 μm. Atmospheric modelling leads us to conclude that a temperature inversion of approximately 300 K centred at 1–10 mbar replicates the feature. This represents an atmospheric temperature inversion for a Jupiter-like atmosphere without irradiation from a host star. A plausible explanation for the strong inversion is heating by auroral processes, although other internal and external dynamical processes cannot be ruled out. The best-fitting model rules out the contribution of H3+ emission, which is prominent in Solar System gas giants. However, this is consistent with rapid destruction of H3+ at the higher pressure where the W1935 emission originates4.

Life Cycle Assessment of Perishable Wastes from Koyambedu Market

India is the second largest country having highest population which leads to generation of large sum of wastes. Municipal solid waste generally consists of household and commercial waste. Most of the wastes are collected and dumped in the landfill sites but in certain cases these wastes are dumped in nearby empty places which causes environmental pollution and also leads to spreading of various diseases. Koyambedu Market situated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu is one of the largest markets in Asia having a total area of 295 acres with different shops selling vegetables, fruits, flowers and meats. Around 300 tons of wastes are generated in a day from the entire market. The collected data are analyzed using Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to know the impact caused by the wastes that are disposed from Koyambedu. The methodology of LCA makes modelling simpler, gives more clearly defined system boundaries, and reduces the amount of data that is required in comparison to the conventional method of independently comparing two different criteria. The use of LCA is more feasible in order to find the life cycle of the wastes and to find which waste produces more harm to the environment. With the analyzes it was found the emission of methane is more in vegetable waste than in other wastes that are collected from the market. The electricity consumed by landfill is less compared to the biogas plant. It is suggested that small biogas plants can be built near the markets to extract the gases that are produced from the wastes.

Colonization characteristics and dynamic transition of archaea communities on polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in the sediments of mangrove ecosystems

Microplastics are a growing concern in mangrove ecosystems; however, their effects on archaeal communities and related ecological processes remain unclear. We conducted in situ biofilm-enrichment experiments to investigate the ecological influence of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene microplastics on archaeal communities in the sediments of mangrove ecosystems. The archaeal community present on microplastics was distinct from that of the surrounding sediments at an early stage but became increasingly similar over time. Bathyarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Euryarchaeota, and Asgardaeota were the most abundant phyla. Methanolobus, an archaeal biomarker, was enriched in PE biofilms, and significantly controlled by homogeneous selection in the plastisphere, indicating an increased potential risk of methane emission. The dominant archaeal assembly process in the sediments was deterministic (58.85%−70.47%), while that of the PE biofilm changed from stochastic to deterministic during the experiment. The network of PE plastispheres showed less complexity and competitive links, and higher modularity and stability than that of sediments. Functional prediction showed an increase in aerobic ammonia oxidation during the experiment, whereas methanogenesis and chemoheterotrophy were significantly higher in the plastisphere. This study provides novel insights into the impact of microplastic pollution on archaeal communities and their mediating ecological functions in mangrove ecosystems.

Emissions of N2O AND CH4 gases and soil bacterial community under integrated systems in the tropical region

The use of integrated production systems is widespread, mainly in tropical areas. This practice could contribute to soil conservation, increasing biodiversity and environmental services while reducing greenhouse gases emissions. The present work assessed bacterial biodiversity and correlations with nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions in soils under integrated production systems. Analyses of bacterial diversity and community structure were carried out using DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). Samples for the evaluation of greenhouse gases were collected in the field and measured using a gas chromatograph. The assessed treatments in a rainy and dry season were: crop (L), pasture (P), planted eucalypt forests (F), pasture followed by crop (IPL), crop followed by pasture (ILP), crop with forest (ILF); pasture with forests (IPF); crop with forest followed by pasture with forests, pasture with forests followed by crop with forest and crop, grassland and forest. In the rainy season, most N2O emissions occurred in the ILP with an average flow of 42.33 µg N m−2 h−1, and the lowest flow was observed in the ILF, with an average flow of 5.53 µg N m−2 h−1. In the dry season, higher emission occurred in the IPL, with an average flow of 4.17 ug N m−2 h−1. In this period, we observed gas consumption in F, the highest N2O consumer with a flow of −4.14 µg N m−2 h−1. In both seasons, CH4 was consumed, with IPF as the most significant consumer with an average flow of −14.19 µg C m−2 h 1(dry); F was the most significant consumer with an average flow −12.32 µg of C m−2 h−1. Bacterial community structure was affected by the agricultural production system and the seasons. Methane emissions and pH showed a correlation with bacterial diversity in different treatments. In contrast, nitrous oxide was negatively correlated with bacterial diversity. Based on our results, we suggest that integrated production systems and plant coverage modulate soil bacterial community structure and biodiversity which, in turn, affect soil processes related to higher or lower methane and nitrous oxide emissions.

In vitro nutritional assessment and estimation of methane emissions from Kikuyu grass pastures overseeded with rye

Objective: To determine the in vitro digestibility and gas production, and to estimate the methane emissions from Kikuyu grass pastures, and Kikuyu grass overseeded with rye. Design/methodology/approach: Two pastures were assessed. One was the subtropical grass Kikuyu Cenchrus clandestinus) (KY), and the other was Kikuyu grass plus overseeding with rye  (Secale cereale) (KYCEN), both associated with white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Ladino). Sample collection was in June and July 2021. In vitro digestibility of dry matter (MS), organic matter (MO), and Neutral Detergent Fibre (FDN), as well as the methane emissions were estimated. The in vitro digestibility and gas production variables were analysed with a split-plot experimental design, and the methane emission variables were analysed with a doble cross-over design. Results: There were no significant differences between treatments for dry matter (MS), organic matter (MO) or Neutral Detergent Fibre (FDN) in vitro digestibility, nor in methane emissions (P>0.05). Limitations on study/implications: The in vitro assessment of digestibility, gas production and the estimation of methane emissions of Kikuyu grass pastures and Kikuyu plus rye enable the implementation of feeding strategies for small-scale livestock production systems that do not only benefit the farmers but also the environment. Findings/conclusions: It is concluded that Kikuyu grass pastures and Kikuyu with rye are a viable feeding option for small-scale dairy systems.  

Fine-Scale Spatial Variability of Greenhouse Gas Emissions From a Subantarctic Peatland Bog.

Peatlands are recognized as crucial greenhouse gas sources and sinks and have been extensively studied. Their emissions exhibit high spatial heterogeneity when measured on site using flux chambers. However, the mechanism by which this spatial variability behaves on a very fine scale remains unclear. This study investigates the fine-scale spatial variability of greenhouse gas emissions from a subantarctic Sphagnum peatland bog. Using a recently developed skirt chamber, methane emissions and ecosystem respiration (as carbon dioxide) were measured at a submeter scale resolution, at five specific 3 × 3 m plots, which were examined across the site throughout a single campaign during the Austral summer season. The results indicated that methane fluxes were significantly less homogeneously distributed compared with ecosystem respiration. Furthermore, we established that the spatial variation scale, i.e., the minimum spatial domain over which notable changes in methane emissions and ecosystem respiration occur, was <0.56 m2. Factors such as ground height relative to the water table and vegetation coverage were analyzed. It was observed that Tetroncium magellanicum exhibited a notable correlation with higher methane fluxes, likely because of the aerenchymatous nature of this species, facilitating gas transport. This study advances understanding of gas exchange patterns in peatlands but also emphasizes the need for further efforts for characterizing spatial dynamics at a very fine scale for precise greenhouse gas budget assessment.

Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Industry Are Triple Current Estimates

A new study using aerial data reveals that fossil fuel extraction and processing are responsible for far more methane than previously believed.

Mitigating methane emissions and global warming potential while increasing rice yield using biochar derived from leftover rice straw in a tropical paddy soil

The sustainable management of leftover rice straw through biochar production to mitigate CH4 emissions and enhance rice yield remains uncertain and undefined. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of using biochar derived from rice straw left on fields after harvest on greenhouse gas emissions, global warming potential (GWP), and rice yield in the paddy field. The experiment included three treatments: chemical fertilizer (CF), rice straw (RS, 10 t ha−1) + CF, and rice straw-derived biochar (BC, 3 t ha−1 based on the amount of product remaining after pyrolysis) + CF. Compared with CF, BC + CF significantly reduced cumulative CH4 and CO2 emissions, net GWP, and greenhouse gas emission intensity by 42.9%, 37.4%, 39.5%, and 67.8%, respectively. In contrast, RS + CF significantly increased cumulative CH4 emissions and net GWP by 119.3% and 13.8%, respectively. The reduced CH4 emissions were mainly caused by the addition of BC + CF, which did not increase the levels of dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon, consequently resulting in reduced archaeal abundance, unlike those observed in RS + CF. The BC + CF also enhanced soil total organic carbon content and rice grain yield. This study indicated that using biochar derived from leftover rice straw mitigates greenhouse gas emissions and improves rice productivity in tropical paddy soil.

Effects of methane emissions on multiple myeloma-related mortality rates: A World Health Organization perspective.

In this research, it was aimed to evaluate effects of methane emissions on multiple myeloma related mortality rates. Two countries in Europe (Germany and Netherlands) and 1 country for each region (Turkey, USA, Brazil, Egypt, and Australia) were selected within The World Health Organization Database. Multiple myeloma mortality rates of countries between 2009 and 2019 were used as dependent variable of the research. Methane emission level and agriculture methane levels of countries were used as independent variables from The World Bank Database. Current health expenditure and healthy life expectancy were used as controlling variables. Multiple myeloma-related mortality rate was the highest in the USA, followed by Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Australia, Netherlands, and Egypt. Difference analysis results were significant (P < .05). Methane and agriculture methane emissions were the highest in the USA. Multiple myeloma mortality was positively correlated with methane emissions (R = 0.504; P < .01), agricultural methane emissions (R = 0.705; P < .01), and current health expenditure (R = 0.528; P < .01). According to year and country controlled correlation analysis results, multiple myeloma mortality (MMM) was positively correlated with methane emissions (R = 0.889; P < .01), agricultural methane emissions (R = 0.495; P < .01), and current health expenditure (R = 0.704; P < .01). Methane emission (B = 0.01; P < .05), Germany (B = 9010.81; P < .01), the USA (B = 26516.77; P < .01), and Brazil (B = 4886.14; P < .01) had significant effect on MMM. Nonagricultural methane production has an increasing effect on MMM. Therefore, by looking at the differences between agricultural methane emissions and general methane emissions, studies can be conducted that allow for more effective global comparisons.

Waste Utilization in Horticulture: An Overview

Waste management in horticulture plays a pivotal role in achieving environmental sustainability and optimizing resource utilization. One of the primary methods for waste utilization is composting, which involves the decomposition of organic waste materials to produce nutrient-rich compost. Compost serves as an excellent soil amendment, enhancing soil fertility and promoting plant growth. Additionally, anaerobic digestion offers a valuable approach for converting organic waste into biogas, a renewable energy source that can be used for heating, electricity generation, and vehicle fuel. Furthermore, fermentation processes can be employed to convert fruit and vegetable waste into valuable products such as animal feed and biofuels. The by-products of fermentation, including yeast and enzymes, have applications in various industries, contributing to the circular economy model. Advancements in precision agriculture and smart waste management systems have revolutionized waste utilization in horticulture. Technologies such as GPS, GIS mapping, wireless sensor networks and big data analytics enable data-driven, decision-making and optimize resource allocation. Precision planting, targeted spraying, automated pruning/harvesting and variable rate irrigation are among the innovative practices facilitated by these technologies, leading to increased productivity and efficiency in horticultural operations. Moreover, waste utilization in horticulture contributes to mitigating environmental pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By diverting organic waste from landfills and incineration, the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is minimized. Instead, organic waste is repurposed into valuable resources, thereby closing the loop on waste streams and promoting a circular economy.

Comparative Analysis of the Methanogen Microbiota Associated to Pasture and Stall Housing in Kazakh Cattle.

The microbial community of cattle rumen (archaea) are the key players in methane emissions. Methane pollutes the atmosphere and leads to the loss of feed energy. The aim of this study was to comparatively investigate the cattle microbiota, with a particular focus on archaea, in relation to the type of housing: pasture versus stall. A 16S metabarcoding analysis of the intestinal contents of cattle was carried out. Аlpha - diversity of grazing animals showed to be higher compared to animals in the stall period (p=0.002). Beta - diversity confirmed a difference in methanogens and microbiota between animals kept on pasture and those in a stall. Differential abundance analysis showed that the relative abundance of the Methanobacteriacea family in animals in the pasture period was significantly higher compared to animals in the stall period (FDR p = 0.00122). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the concentration of methanogens in the fecal contents of animals during pasture period was higher than that in animals during the stall period. We recommend feeding grazing animals with concentrates in the evening in order to mitigate methane emissions.

Biogas as Alternative to Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Mauritania: An Integrated Future Approach for Energy Sustainability and Socio-Economic Development

The global shift from conventional energy sources to sustainable alternatives has garnered significant attention, driven by the promise of economic benefits and environmental sustainability. The current study rigorously investigated the economic advantages and sustainability achieved from the transition of households in Mauritania from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to biogas utilization. The study constitutes a robust case study that centers on assessing the multifaceted impacts of this transition on household finances and overall quality of life in Mauritania. This case focuses on biogas technology adoption and its role as a competitor of LPG in Mauritania. The energy poverty portfolio of the nation has been explored and livestock waste generation and biogas production potential have been estimated at 2451 million cubic meters annually. Biogas production can fulfill 50% of the energy requirement for cooking purposes within the country. The community scale fixed-dome-type biogas digesters have been recommended for Mauritania by considering a community of 100 families. The calculated payback period for the community project is 74 months, and after the payback period, continuous monthly benefits of USD 1750 will be started. Livestock manure is directly utilized for farming practices in Mauritania, which produces 10.7 Gg of methane emissions per year. Biogas production is a clean and economically viable option for Mauritania, which can also be beneficial for reducing the methane emissions footprints of the livestock sector. This case study will prove as a vital project for other African nations if successfully implemented. Multiple recommendations for the policy-makers of Mauritania have also been formulated, like tariffs on biogas production facilities and swift financing schemes, which can further strengthen the biogas production on a national scale. International funders should also take part in coping with the energy demand of Mauritania and its mission to mitigate climate change rather than utilizing LPG on a national scale. Biogas production and utilization are much cheaper compared with the fluctuating prices of LPG and ensure health when cooking.

Variability of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Relation to Economic and Ecological Indicators from Cattle Farms

Agricultural production, including animal husbandry, is associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which have a negative impact on the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine methane and nitrous oxide emissions at the level of individual farms and to identify differences in emissions by type of production. Analyses were conducted using data from the FADN agricultural accounting system, covering the farms in Poland engaged in dairy production and the breeding of other grazing livestock for the period from 2012 to 2021. The relationships and trends of the indicators during the study period were also analyzed. The statistical analysis confirmed the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and economic performance. In the case of dairy farms, the emissions averaged 137.09 kg·ha−1 of methane and 94.05 kg·ha−1 of nitrous oxide, which were found to increase as the net-added value and farm income increased. The results of the presented research highlight the existence of a link between economic goals and GHG emissions, which is an important contribution to the development of mitigation strategies in livestock production.

Assessing the impact of climate action mitigation strategies from livestock production: A review – Solution for greenhouse gases mitigation

Abstract The main sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are enteric fermentation from ruminants and manure management. An integrated strategy-combination approach incorporating nutrition and manure management is necessary to dramatically reduce GHGs and the carbon footprint of milk production. The aim of this review was to assess the effect of climate action mitigation strategies on the GHG production of ruminant animals. This review was based on the different references, which are textbooks, journals, proceedings, conferences, and abstracts accessed through Agricola, Agris, CAB Abstracts, Embase, MEDLINE, and the Web of Science. The research findings were done by using dairy cattle, sheep, and goat; the numbers of animals used in each experiment were given the majority of attention, and decisions were also made based on the method used to quantify methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide. Enteric CH 4 per unit of milk was reduced by 6–8% when higher-starch corn silage was used in place of barley or alfalfa silage. Cows fed seaweed (1.77–2%, on dry matter [DM] basis) experienced a linear drop in enteric CH 4 emission from 383 to 400 g/d. Supplementation of vegetable fats (6%) and coconut oil (12 g/day) to ruminant diets can decrease CH 4 emissions by 21–40% and 50–61.2%, respectively. Similarly, the addition of 21.5 g nitrate/kg DM reduces CH 4 yield (17%) in sheep. Bovaer can reduce methane emissions (30%) for dairy cows. Feed processing and additives are alternative strategies to minimize GHG production in ruminants, but further studies on additives and their residual effect on livestock output is needed.

Social Costs of Methane and Carbon Dioxide in a Tipping Climate

AbstractSocial costs for methane and carbon dioxide emissions, from the risk of climate tipping events and deterministic damages, are derived in an analytically tractable model. In the core model: social costs from tipping risks rise with income, just as they do for deterministic damages, and depend on only a few parameters. Consequently, methane’s weight (its social cost relative to carbon dioxide) is constant and independent of temperature projections. But other damage and tipping probability formulations assumed in the literature imply methane’s weight varies over time and with temperature projections. (JEL H23, O44, Q40, Q54, Q56, Q58).

Development of Company-Specific Emission Factors with Confidence Intervals for Natural Gas Customer Meters in Southern California.

Methane is both a significant and short-lived greenhouse gas compared to CO2, and reducing methane emissions from natural gas distribution systems may offer cost-effective reduction opportunities. We report substantial new direct leak rate measurements from customer meter set assemblies (MSAs) in Southern California. In a novel way, emission factors are defined in terms of aboveground Hazardous and Nonhazardous leak categories, which take direct advantage of readily available industry leak data. We also studied leaks that were not detected as part of normal leak survey procedures. As a result, this yields company-specific emission factors that can be used to track progress in reducing methane emissions. This approach also has the advantage of explicitly accounting for the skewed or fat-tail distribution of leak rates by treating high flow rate MSA leaks separately from low flow rate MSA leaks. The Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) methane emission factors, based on 485 leak rate measurements by direct enclosure, were 4.55 (95% confidence interval: 2.32 to 7.14) kg/day for Hazardous leaks, 0.149 (0.119 to 0.183) kg/day for Nonhazardous leaks, and 0.0039 (0.0003 to 0.0198) kg/day for Non-Detected leaks. The percentage of surveyed meters with nondetected leaks was 29.1% (24.3 to 34.6%). Based on a robust Monte Carlo analysis, total leak emissions from MSAs for the SoCalGas system were reduced by 35% based on data from 2015 to 2022. These reductions were attributed to surveying a larger number of MSAs and accelerated leak repair rates. In traditional population-based emission inventories, an individual emission factor for a given asset category is multiplied by the total population of MSAs within the category. This approach simply cannot capture the reduction in leak numbers and methane emissions resulting from leak mitigation and prevention programs.

A simplified open flux chamber method for the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from activated sludge reactors

Abstract Measuring greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants is of utmost importance in the context of climate change. However, due to their variability and complexity, it is a particularly challenging task in aerated reactors. The current methods involve capturing gas emissions from the water surface, measuring gas flow rates, and determining the concentration of the emitted gas at that location. Our study proposes a new, more efficient method that eliminates the need for gas flow rate measurements and additional equipment. The proposed technique uses a gas analyzer and a specially designed floating chamber to measure the transient trend of gas concentration within the chamber from the moment it is deployed to when it reaches a new steady state. Our research shows that this method accurately determines methane and carbon dioxide emissions from aerated reactors and potentially other gases emitted in wastewater treatment plants. It is cost effective, versatile, and simplifies the measurement process. This method facilitates the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions in wastewater treatment plants. Our findings are backed by comprehensive testing in the aeration tanks of a full-scale activated sludge plant, across diverse conditions, including fine- and coarse-bubble aeration.

Dispersion and fate of methane emissions from cold seeps on Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand

The influence of cold seep methane on the surrounding benthos is well-documented but the fate of dissolved methane and its impact on water column biogeochemistry remains less understood. To address this, the distribution of dissolved methane was determined around three seeps on the south-east Hikurangi Margin, south-east of New Zealand, by combining data from discrete water column sampling and a towed methane sensor. Integrating this with bottom water current flow data in a dynamic Gerris model determined an annual methane flux of 3 x 105 kg at the main seep. This source was then applied in a Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) simulation to visualize lateral transport of the dissolved methane plume, which dispersed over ∼100 km in bottom water within 1 year. Extrapolation of this approach to four other regional seeps identified a combined plume volume of 3,500 km3 and annual methane emission of 0.4–3.2 x 106 kg CH4 y-1. This suggests a regional methane flux of 1.1–10.9 x 107 kg CH4 y-1 for the entire Hikurangi Margin, which is lower than previous hydroacoustic estimates. Carbon stable isotope values in dissolved methane indicated that lateral mixing was the primary determinant of methane in bottom water, with potential methane oxidation rates orders of magnitude lower than the dilution rate. Calculations indicate that oxidation of the annual total methane emitted from the five seeps would not significantly alter bottom water dissolved carbon dioxide, oxygen or pH; however, superimposition of methane plumes from different seeps, which was evident in the ROMS simulation, may have localized impacts. These findings highlight the value of characterizing methane release from multiple seeps within a hydrodynamic model framework to determine the biogeochemical impact, climate feedbacks and connectivity of cold seeps on continental shelf margins.

A compendium of ruminant gastrointestinal phage genomes revealed a higher proportion of lytic phages than in any other environments

BackgroundRuminants are important livestock animals that have a unique digestive system comprising multiple stomach compartments. Despite significant progress in the study of microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) sites of ruminants, we still lack an understanding of the viral community of ruminants. Here, we surveyed its viral ecology using 2333 samples from 10 sites along the GIT of 8 ruminant species.ResultsWe present the Unified Ruminant Phage Catalogue (URPC), a comprehensive survey of phages in the GITs of ruminants including 64,922 non-redundant phage genomes. We characterized the distributions of the phage genomes in different ruminants and GIT sites and found that most phages were organism-specific. We revealed that ~ 60% of the ruminant phages were lytic, which was the highest as compared with those in all other environments and certainly will facilitate their applications in microbial interventions. To further facilitate the future applications of the phages, we also constructed a comprehensive virus-bacteria/archaea interaction network and identified dozens of phages that may have lytic effects on methanogenic archaea.ConclusionsThe URPC dataset represents a useful resource for future microbial interventions to improve ruminant production and ecological environmental qualities. Phages have great potential for controlling pathogenic bacterial/archaeal species and reducing methane emissions. Our findings provide insights into the virome ecology research of the ruminant GIT and offer a starting point for future research on phage therapy in ruminants.CJAF8kS71Z3NBgTNJ_uZFeVideo