The Effect of Natural Gas on the Growth of Micro-Organisms and the Accumulation of Nitrogen and Organic Matter in the Soil

Effect of Leaking Natural Gas on Soil and Vegetation in Urban Areas

“…Nevertheless, such effects on pH, organic matter and moisture content resulting from gas leakage, have been reported by Harper (1939) and Adams & Ellis (1960).…”

“…They isolated methane-oxidizing bacteria capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Earlier Schollenberger (1930) and Harper (1939) already found accumulation of nitrogen in 'gassed soils'. Harper attributed this phenomenon to nitrogen fixation by Clostridium spp.…”

“…Methane-oxidizing microorganisms have been described by several authors (Kaserer, 1906;Sohngen, 1906;Harper, 1939;Leadbetter & Foster, 1960;Brown et al, 1964;Nyns & Wiaux, 1969). The organisms mentioned in literature are for example Bacillus methanicus (Sohngen, 1906), Methanonomas methanooxidans (Brown et al, 1964), Methylococcus capsulatus (Foster & Davis, 1966) and Pseudomonas methanica (Dworkin & Foster, 1956;Leadbetter & Foster, 1958).…”

“…Aside from the lack of oxygen, changes in bacterial processes are reported to take place (Harper, 1939), resulting in N-fixation, cellulose conversion and denitrification (Kaserer, 1905;Balks & Wehrmann-Ebsdorf, 1944). Schollenberger (1930) and later Adams & Ellis (1960) found an increase in organic matter content and an increase in water retention of the soil.…”

Some Effects of Oil on the Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Wet Tundra Soils

“…One of the earliest was that of Carr (1919) and involved an oil spill resulting from a pipeline break. Subsequent studies have dealt mostly with crude hydrocarbons as potential agricultural amendments used to stimulate crop response through increased nitrification (Harper, 1939;Abdalla and Hocker, 1%3;Endigarova, 1963). Other investigators have detailed the interaction between hydrocarbon gases and the soil, again as these affected crop response through the stimulation or suppression of microbial mineralization of nitrogen and phosphorous, Shollenberger (1930 andPlice (1948).…”