Prior to the discovery of archaea capable of ammonia oxidation, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were considered the only organisms capable of ammonia oxidation. Since their discovery in 2005, two isolates of AOAs have been cultivated: Nitrosopumilus maritimus and Nitrososphaera viennensis. When comparing AOB and AOA, AOA dominate in both soils and marine environments, suggesting that Nitrososphaerota (formerly Thaumarchaeota) may be greater contributors to ammonia oxidation in these environments.
Crenarchaeol, which is generally thought to be produced exclusively by AOA (specifically Nitrososphaerota), has been proposed as a biomarker for AOA and ammonia oxidation. Crenarchaeol abundance has been found to track with seasonal blooms of AOA, suggesting that it may be appropriate to use crenarchaeol abundances as a proxy for AOA populations and thus ammonia oxidation more broadly. However the discovery of Nitrososphaerota that are not obligate ammonia-oxidizers complicates this conclusion, as does one study that suggests that crenarchaeol may be produced by Marine Group II Euryarchaeota.