10.18453/rosdok_id00003627 Unger, Viktoria Viktoria Unger http://d-nb.info/gnd/1255800380 Universität Rostock 2020 500 Natural sciences 550 Earth sciences 570 Life science 2020 en http://purl.uni-rostock.de/rosdok/id00003627 urn:nbn:de:gbv:28-rosdok_id00003627-6 Changes in land use and climate influence the methane balance of fen peatlands, and the peat microbial communities involved in methane transformation. Microbial communities, however, have rarely been studied in fens in this context. In this thesis, I used high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of DNA and cDNA, qPCR, and geochemical analyses to assess how rewetting and drying of fens influences methane producers (methanogens) and consumers (methanotrophs). Fen rewetting promoted the establishment of methanogens, while short-term drought promoted methanotroph establishment.