Abstract: Refuse landfill sites are one of the important methane emission sources, contributing 6%-12% of the anthropogenic emission of methane. The promotion of feasible methane emissionreduction techniques is an imminent challenge. Most recently, methane biooxidation through methanotrophs involved in landfill cover soil has been regarded as a potential strategy to mitigate fugitive methane emission from landfill. In this study, the recent developments of microbial mechanisms of methane biooxidation by landfill cover, modified methane biooxidation technologies and microorganisms associated with methane oxidation in landfill environment were critically summarized. According to the literature review, few studies have been carried out to decrease the methane release during landfill operation, which accounts for a great part of the total methane emission. Future research efforts should be thus dedicated to modification of methane oxidation capacities of the daily and middle covers.

Key words: Loess tableland, stable isotope, winter wheat, water consumption of wheat, soil water