Microorganisms with the capacity to reduce the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O) to harmless dinitrogen gas are receiving increased attention due to increasing N₂O emissions (and our need to mitigate climate change) and to recent discoveries of novel N₂O-reducing bacteria and archaea. The diversity of denitrifying and nondenitrifying microorganisms with capacity for N₂O reduction was recently shown to be greater than previously expected. A formerly overlooked group (clade II) in the environment include a large fraction of nondenitrifying N₂O reducers, which could be N₂O sinks without major contribution to N₂O formation. We review the recent advances about fundamental understanding of the genomics, physiology, and ecology of N₂O reducers and the importance of these findings for curbing N₂O emissions.

由于增加的N ₂ O排放（以及我们对缓解气候变化的需求）以及最近发现的新型N ₂ O-，具有将温室气体一氧化二氮（N ₂ O）还原为无害二氮气的能力的微生物正受到越来越多的关注。减少细菌和古细菌。具有N ₂ O还原能力的反硝化和非反硝化微生物的多样性最近被证明比以前预期的要大。环境中以前被忽视的一组（II类）包括很大一部分未脱氮的N ₂ O还原剂，这些还原剂可能是N ₂ O汇，而对N _2的贡献不大O形成。我们回顾了有关对N ₂ O还原剂的基因组学，生理学和生态学的基本理解的最新进展，以及这些发现对于遏制N ₂ O排放的重要性。