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Development of methanotrophic communities in deep hydrocarbon plumes is delayed with respect to that of ethane, propane, and butane communities. Ethane and propane displayed significantly high rates of biodegradation, whereas methane levels were far more conservative. Altogether together this indicates preferential consumption of propane and ethane relative to methane in deep hydrocarbon seeps.
What did researchers conclude about the relative rates of natural gas consumption between the community types?