Supersaturation and evasion of CO₂ and CH₄ in surface waters at Mer Bleue peatland, Canada

• Published in: Hydrological processes Vol. 22; no. 12; pp. 2044 - 2054
• Main Authors: Billett, M.F, Moore, T.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 15-06-2008; Wiley
• Subjects: carbon dioxide; DOC; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; evasion; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; methane; Mineralogy; peatland; Pollution, environment geology; Silicates; supersaturation; Water geochemistry; Canada; Ontario; Eastern Canada; Canada, Ontario; atmosphere; degassing; time variations; atmospheric emission; air-water interface; gaseous phase; North America; saturation; drainage basins; hydrochemistry; peat bogs; partial pressure; temperature; DOC; dissolved materials; spatial variations; carbon dioxide; peatland; concentration; surface water; vertical variations; methane; evasion; supersaturation; dissolved organic carbon
• ISSN: 0885-6087; 1099-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.6805

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) concentrations and evasion rates were measured in surface waters draining Mer Bleue peatland (Ontario, Canada) between spring and autumn 2005. All sites exhibit a consistent pattern of supersaturation throughout the year, which is broadly related to hydrological and temperature changes between spring snowmelt and autumn freezing. Both measurements and estimates of CO₂ and CH₄ evasion from open water to the atmosphere suggest that parts of the catchment (including beaver dams) are significant degassing hot spots. We present data showing how vertical gaseous carbon fluxes compare with lateral carbon fluxes and make an initial estimate of the importance to the overall carbon budget of CO₂ and CH₄ evasion to the atmosphere from water surfaces at Mer Bleue. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.