Methan Dynamics in an Arctic Wetland: Effects of Vegetation and Climate Manipulations

Cecilie Skov Nielsen

Methan Dynamics in an Arctic Wetland: Effects of Vegetation and Climate Manipulations

Cecilie Skov Nielsen

Abstract

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have the potential to increase methane (CH4) emissions from arctic wetlands due to increased decomposition, changes in vegetation cover, and increased substrate input from vegetation and thawing permafrost. The effects of warming and changes in vegetation cover on CH4 emissions are however still largely unknown for the Arctic. Many wetlands plants such as sedges can increase CH4 emissions by transporting the CH4 through internal air tissue. However, at the same time the plants can reduce the CH4 emissions by transporting oxygen to the rhizosphere where it can be used to oxidize CH4. The over all effect of the presence of sedges on the CH4 budget is unknown for most arctic species.
Here the effects of warming and changes in plant cover on CH4 dynamics and emissions in a wetland in Blæsedalen, Disko Island, W. Greenland were investigated. The importance of CH4 oxidation in the rhizosphere of Carex aquatilis ssp. stans and Eriophorum angustifolium was quantified using a 13CH4 tracer.
The results showed that rhizospheric CH4 oxidation mediated less than 2% of ecosystem CH4 emissions. No significant effects of warming or shrub removal on ecosystem CH4 emissions were found after one year of treatments suggesting that, regarding CH4 emissions, the wetland is resilient towards a small degree of warming on a short term.

Originalsprog	Engelsk

Forlag	Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen
Antal sider	182
Status	Udgivet - 2016

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Citationsformater

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title = "Methan Dynamics in an Arctic Wetland: Effects of Vegetation and Climate Manipulations",

abstract = "Rising temperatures in the Arctic have the potential to increase methane (CH4) emissions from arctic wetlands due to increased decomposition, changes in vegetation cover, and increased substrate input from vegetation and thawing permafrost. The effects of warming and changes in vegetation cover on CH4 emissions are however still largely unknown for the Arctic. Many wetlands plants such as sedges can increase CH4 emissions by transporting the CH4 through internal air tissue. However, at the same time the plants can reduce the CH4 emissions by transporting oxygen to the rhizosphere where it can be used to oxidize CH4. The over all effect of the presence of sedges on the CH4 budget is unknown for most arctic species.Here the effects of warming and changes in plant cover on CH4 dynamics and emissions in a wetland in Bl{\ae}sedalen, Disko Island, W. Greenland were investigated. The importance of CH4 oxidation in the rhizosphere of Carex aquatilis ssp. stans and Eriophorum angustifolium was quantified using a 13CH4 tracer.The results showed that rhizospheric CH4 oxidation mediated less than 2% of ecosystem CH4 emissions. No significant effects of warming or shrub removal on ecosystem CH4 emissions were found after one year of treatments suggesting that, regarding CH4 emissions, the wetland is resilient towards a small degree of warming on a short term.",

author = "Nielsen, {Cecilie Skov}",

year = "2016",

language = "English",

publisher = "Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen",

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TY - BOOK

T1 - Methan Dynamics in an Arctic Wetland

T2 - Effects of Vegetation and Climate Manipulations

AU - Nielsen, Cecilie Skov

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Rising temperatures in the Arctic have the potential to increase methane (CH4) emissions from arctic wetlands due to increased decomposition, changes in vegetation cover, and increased substrate input from vegetation and thawing permafrost. The effects of warming and changes in vegetation cover on CH4 emissions are however still largely unknown for the Arctic. Many wetlands plants such as sedges can increase CH4 emissions by transporting the CH4 through internal air tissue. However, at the same time the plants can reduce the CH4 emissions by transporting oxygen to the rhizosphere where it can be used to oxidize CH4. The over all effect of the presence of sedges on the CH4 budget is unknown for most arctic species.Here the effects of warming and changes in plant cover on CH4 dynamics and emissions in a wetland in Blæsedalen, Disko Island, W. Greenland were investigated. The importance of CH4 oxidation in the rhizosphere of Carex aquatilis ssp. stans and Eriophorum angustifolium was quantified using a 13CH4 tracer.The results showed that rhizospheric CH4 oxidation mediated less than 2% of ecosystem CH4 emissions. No significant effects of warming or shrub removal on ecosystem CH4 emissions were found after one year of treatments suggesting that, regarding CH4 emissions, the wetland is resilient towards a small degree of warming on a short term.

AB - Rising temperatures in the Arctic have the potential to increase methane (CH4) emissions from arctic wetlands due to increased decomposition, changes in vegetation cover, and increased substrate input from vegetation and thawing permafrost. The effects of warming and changes in vegetation cover on CH4 emissions are however still largely unknown for the Arctic. Many wetlands plants such as sedges can increase CH4 emissions by transporting the CH4 through internal air tissue. However, at the same time the plants can reduce the CH4 emissions by transporting oxygen to the rhizosphere where it can be used to oxidize CH4. The over all effect of the presence of sedges on the CH4 budget is unknown for most arctic species.Here the effects of warming and changes in plant cover on CH4 dynamics and emissions in a wetland in Blæsedalen, Disko Island, W. Greenland were investigated. The importance of CH4 oxidation in the rhizosphere of Carex aquatilis ssp. stans and Eriophorum angustifolium was quantified using a 13CH4 tracer.The results showed that rhizospheric CH4 oxidation mediated less than 2% of ecosystem CH4 emissions. No significant effects of warming or shrub removal on ecosystem CH4 emissions were found after one year of treatments suggesting that, regarding CH4 emissions, the wetland is resilient towards a small degree of warming on a short term.

UR - http://rex.kb.dk/KGL:KGL:KGL01009231155

M3 - Ph.D. thesis

BT - Methan Dynamics in an Arctic Wetland

PB - Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen

ER -