The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissions

Abstract Wetland methane transport processes affect what portion of methane produced in wetlands reaches the atmosphere. We model what has been perceived to be the least important of these transport processes: hydrodynamic transport of methane through wetland surface water and show that its contribu...

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Main Authors: Cristina M. Poindexter, Dennis D. Baldocchi, Jaclyn Hatala Matthes, Sara Helen Knox, Evan A. Variano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-06-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068782
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author Cristina M. Poindexter
Dennis D. Baldocchi
Jaclyn Hatala Matthes
Sara Helen Knox
Evan A. Variano
author_facet Cristina M. Poindexter
Dennis D. Baldocchi
Jaclyn Hatala Matthes
Sara Helen Knox
Evan A. Variano
author_sort Cristina M. Poindexter
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Wetland methane transport processes affect what portion of methane produced in wetlands reaches the atmosphere. We model what has been perceived to be the least important of these transport processes: hydrodynamic transport of methane through wetland surface water and show that its contribution to total methane emissions from a temperate freshwater marsh is surprisingly large. In our 1 year study, hydrodynamic transport comprised more than half of nighttime methane fluxes and was driven primarily by water column thermal convection occurring overnight as the water surface cooled. Overall, hydrodynamic transport was responsible for 32% of annual methane emissions. Many methane models have overlooked this process, but our results show that wetland methane fluxes cannot always be accurately described using only other transport processes (plant‐mediated transport and ebullition). Modifying models to include hydrodynamic transport and the mechanisms that drive it, particularly convection, could help improve predictions of future wetland methane emissions.
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spelling doaj-art-a6edf22a746147a5bd4219bb953584b92025-08-20T02:31:39ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-06-0143126276628410.1002/2016GL068782The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissionsCristina M. Poindexter0Dennis D. Baldocchi1Jaclyn Hatala Matthes2Sara Helen Knox3Evan A. Variano4Department of Civil Engineering California State University Sacramento California USAEcosystem Science Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California Berkeley California USADepartment of Geography Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USAEcosystem Science Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California Berkeley California USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California Berkeley California USAAbstract Wetland methane transport processes affect what portion of methane produced in wetlands reaches the atmosphere. We model what has been perceived to be the least important of these transport processes: hydrodynamic transport of methane through wetland surface water and show that its contribution to total methane emissions from a temperate freshwater marsh is surprisingly large. In our 1 year study, hydrodynamic transport comprised more than half of nighttime methane fluxes and was driven primarily by water column thermal convection occurring overnight as the water surface cooled. Overall, hydrodynamic transport was responsible for 32% of annual methane emissions. Many methane models have overlooked this process, but our results show that wetland methane fluxes cannot always be accurately described using only other transport processes (plant‐mediated transport and ebullition). Modifying models to include hydrodynamic transport and the mechanisms that drive it, particularly convection, could help improve predictions of future wetland methane emissions.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068782methanewetlandstransport
spellingShingle Cristina M. Poindexter
Dennis D. Baldocchi
Jaclyn Hatala Matthes
Sara Helen Knox
Evan A. Variano
The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissions
Geophysical Research Letters
methane
wetlands
transport
title The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissions
title_full The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissions
title_fullStr The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissions
title_full_unstemmed The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissions
title_short The contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland's methane emissions
title_sort contribution of an overlooked transport process to a wetland s methane emissions
topic methane
wetlands
transport
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068782
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