Factors controlling large scale variations in methane emissions from wetlands

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 30; no. 7; pp. 1414 - n/a
• Main Authors: Christensen, Torben R., Ekberg, Anna, Ström, Lena, Mastepanov, Mihail, Panikov, Nicolai, Öquist, Mats, Svensson, Bo H., Nykänen, Hannu, Martikainen, Pertti J., Oskarsson, Hlynur
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Geophysical Union 01-04-2003; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Atmosphere; Atmospheric Composition and Structure; Biogeochemical processes; Biosphere/atmosphere interactions; Earth and Related Environmental Sciences; Freshwater; Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap; Global Change; Hydrology; Natural Sciences; Naturgeografi; Naturvetenskap; Physical Geography; SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP; SOCIAL SCIENCES; Wetlands; Russia, Siberia; Scandinavia; Greenland; Iceland
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2002GL016848

Global wetlands are, at estimate ranging 115–237 Tg CH4/yr, the largest single atmospheric source of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4). We present a dataset on CH4 flux rates totaling 12 measurement years at sites from Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia and Siberia. We find that temperature and microbial substrate availability (expressed as the organic acid concentration in peat water) combined explain almost 100% of the variations in mean annual CH4 emissions. The temperature sensitivity of the CH4 emissions shown suggests a feedback mechanism on climate change that could validate incorporation in further developments of global circulation models.