Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils
EMISSION of methane from tundra soil contributes about 10% of the global atmospheric methane budget1. Moreover, tundra soils contain 15% of global soil carbon2, so the response of this large carbon reservoir to projected global warming3,4 could be important. Coupled biological models3-6 predict that...
Published in: | Nature |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
eScholarship, University of California
1990
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8vs232b0 https://escholarship.org/content/qt8vs232b0/qt8vs232b0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1038/346160a0 |
id |
ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt8vs232b0 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt8vs232b0 2024-09-15T18:39:31+00:00 Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils Whalen, SC Reeburgh, WS 160 - 162 1990-07-01 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8vs232b0 https://escholarship.org/content/qt8vs232b0/qt8vs232b0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1038/346160a0 unknown eScholarship, University of California qt8vs232b0 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8vs232b0 https://escholarship.org/content/qt8vs232b0/qt8vs232b0.pdf doi:10.1038/346160a0 CC-BY Nature, vol 346, iss 6280 Climate Action General Science & Technology article 1990 ftcdlib https://doi.org/10.1038/346160a0 2024-06-28T06:28:20Z EMISSION of methane from tundra soil contributes about 10% of the global atmospheric methane budget1. Moreover, tundra soils contain 15% of global soil carbon2, so the response of this large carbon reservoir to projected global warming3,4 could be important. Coupled biological models3-6 predict that a warmer climate will increase methane emission through increased rates of methanogenesis. Microbial oxidation of methane is, however, a possible control on emissions that has previously been overlooked. Here we report the results of field and laboratory experiments on methane consumption by tundra soils. For methane concentrations ranging from below to well above ambient, moist soils were found to consume methane rapidly; in non-waterlogged soils, equilibration with atmospheric methane was fast relative to microbial oxidation. We conclude that lowering of the water table in tundra as a result of a warmer, drier climate will decrease methane fluxes and could cause these areas to provide a negative feedback for atmospheric methane. © 1990 Nature Publishing Group. Article in Journal/Newspaper Tundra University of California: eScholarship Nature 346 6280 160 162 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
op_collection_id |
ftcdlib |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Climate Action General Science & Technology |
spellingShingle |
Climate Action General Science & Technology Whalen, SC Reeburgh, WS Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils |
topic_facet |
Climate Action General Science & Technology |
description |
EMISSION of methane from tundra soil contributes about 10% of the global atmospheric methane budget1. Moreover, tundra soils contain 15% of global soil carbon2, so the response of this large carbon reservoir to projected global warming3,4 could be important. Coupled biological models3-6 predict that a warmer climate will increase methane emission through increased rates of methanogenesis. Microbial oxidation of methane is, however, a possible control on emissions that has previously been overlooked. Here we report the results of field and laboratory experiments on methane consumption by tundra soils. For methane concentrations ranging from below to well above ambient, moist soils were found to consume methane rapidly; in non-waterlogged soils, equilibration with atmospheric methane was fast relative to microbial oxidation. We conclude that lowering of the water table in tundra as a result of a warmer, drier climate will decrease methane fluxes and could cause these areas to provide a negative feedback for atmospheric methane. © 1990 Nature Publishing Group. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Whalen, SC Reeburgh, WS |
author_facet |
Whalen, SC Reeburgh, WS |
author_sort |
Whalen, SC |
title |
Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils |
title_short |
Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils |
title_full |
Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils |
title_fullStr |
Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils |
title_full_unstemmed |
Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils |
title_sort |
consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
1990 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8vs232b0 https://escholarship.org/content/qt8vs232b0/qt8vs232b0.pdf https://doi.org/10.1038/346160a0 |
op_coverage |
160 - 162 |
genre |
Tundra |
genre_facet |
Tundra |
op_source |
Nature, vol 346, iss 6280 |
op_relation |
qt8vs232b0 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8vs232b0 https://escholarship.org/content/qt8vs232b0/qt8vs232b0.pdf doi:10.1038/346160a0 |
op_rights |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/346160a0 |
container_title |
Nature |
container_volume |
346 |
container_issue |
6280 |
container_start_page |
160 |
op_container_end_page |
162 |
_version_ |
1810483881252487168 |