Yize kuze kube manje bekucatshangwa ukuthi izinkomo ukuphela kwezilwane, ngaphandle kwabantu, ezinomthelela obalulekile ekufudumaleni kwembulunga yonke, manje ososayensi bathole ezinye ezibamangazile: I-Chaoborus fly izibungu.
Lezi zidalwa zihlala emachibini amade nasemachibini, zidla izibungu zomiyane kuze kube yilapho sezikhulile bese ziphuma emanzini ukuzala futhi ngokushesha nje lapho zife, ngoba azondli, noma zenza kanjalo ngompe.
Ucwaningo olushicilelwe ku »Isayensi iyabika», Eqhutshwa yithimba lososayensi abavela e-University of Geneva (Switzerland) ngokubambisana neLeibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries eBerlin (IGB), ithole Izibungu zeChaoborus zisebenzisa igesi yemethane bese ziyikhiphela emanzini.
Lezi zibungu, ezihlala zifihlekile emhlabathini wechibi, ebusuku zigcwalisa izikhumba zazo ezincane nge-oxygen bese zikhuphukela phezulu ziyofuna ukudla. Kodwa-ke, ochwepheshe bathole ekujuleni okuthile, ingcindezi yamanzi inkulu kakhulu kangangokuba ivimbela lezi zikhwama ukugcwaliswa, okwenza izibungu zisebenzisa ukumunceka kwe-methane etholakala ezinsaleni ukugcwalisa nokuzisebenzisa kanye »nokuntanta».
Ngenxa yaleli su lokusinda, izibungu zingonga kuze kufike ku-80% wamandla, ngakho-ke zidinga ukudla okuncane. Kepha lokhu kuletha inkinga: IMethane igesi eyenzeka ngokwemvelo ezindaweni zamanzi echibini, kodwa lapho isetshenziswa yizibungu ukuzithuthukisa, iyancibilika emanzini. Ngokwenza njalo, ingafinyelela emkhathini, inikele ekufudumaleni kwembulunga yonke.
Ngalokho, Ochwepheshe bathi u-20% wokukhishwa kwegesi yemethane emanzini amasha. Ubuningi bezibungu zohlobo lweChaoborus emachibini buba ngabantu abayi-2000 kuya kwabayi-130.000 ngemitha eyisikwele. Ukuvimbela ukwanda kwayo, futhi ngeshwa kwehliswe inani le-methane ekhishelwa emoyeni, ababhali bakhuthaza ukulawulwa okukhulu kwamanzi echibi, kanye naleyo mithombo ebhekele ukukhishwa kwe-methane.