“…In accordance with this model, methanotrophs feed methanol to methanol utilizers, and both methanotrophs and methanol utilizers produce organics that feed non-methylotrophic heterotrophs, in conjunction with denitrification. In accordance with the model, methanol should be available to all organisms that are capable of methanol utilization, and other organics should be available to all heterotrophs, as “public goods.” However, experimental evidence is somewhat contradictory to the notion of “public goods,” as specific species cooccurrences, such as cooperative behavior of Methylococcaceae and Methylophilaceae , have been noted not only in manipulated microcosms ( Kalyuzhnaya et al, 2008 ; Beck et al, 2013 ; Hernandez et al, 2015 ; Oshkin et al, 2015 ), but also in natural populations inhabiting methane-rich environments such as permafrosts ( Martineau et al, 2010 ; Crevecoeur et al, 2015 ) or methane-fueled cave biofilms ( Karwautz et al, 2017 ). These results suggest either that many species detected in natural niches, through DNA profiling, are dormant, that some organisms may be more competitive for “public goods,” or that specific partnerships are taking place.…”