TY - JOUR
T1 - Rising methane emissions from northern wetlands associated with sea ice decline
AU - Parmentier, Frans-Jan
AU - Zhang, Wenxin
AU - Mi, Yanjiao
AU - Zhu, Xudong
AU - van Huissteden, Jacobus
AU - J. Hayes, Daniel
AU - Zhuang, Qianlai
AU - Christensen, Torben R.
AU - David McGuire, A.
PY - 2015/9/16
Y1 - 2015/9/16
N2 - The Arctic is rapidly transitioning toward a seasonal sea ice-free state, perhaps one of the most apparent examples of climate change in the world. This dramatic change has numerous consequences, including a large increase in air temperatures, which in turn may affect terrestrial methane emissions. Nonetheless, terrestrial and marine environments are seldom jointly analyzed. By comparing satellite observations of Arctic sea ice concentrations to methane emissions simulated by three process-based biogeochemical models, this study shows that rising wetland methane emissions are associated with sea ice retreat. Our analyses indicate that simulated high-latitude emissions for 2005-2010 were, on average, 1.7 Tg CH4 yr-1 higher compared to 1981-1990 due to a sea ice-induced, autumn-focused, warming. Since these results suggest a continued rise in methane emissions with future sea ice decline, observation programs need to include measurements during the autumn to further investigate the impact of this spatial connection on terrestrial methane emissions.
AB - The Arctic is rapidly transitioning toward a seasonal sea ice-free state, perhaps one of the most apparent examples of climate change in the world. This dramatic change has numerous consequences, including a large increase in air temperatures, which in turn may affect terrestrial methane emissions. Nonetheless, terrestrial and marine environments are seldom jointly analyzed. By comparing satellite observations of Arctic sea ice concentrations to methane emissions simulated by three process-based biogeochemical models, this study shows that rising wetland methane emissions are associated with sea ice retreat. Our analyses indicate that simulated high-latitude emissions for 2005-2010 were, on average, 1.7 Tg CH4 yr-1 higher compared to 1981-1990 due to a sea ice-induced, autumn-focused, warming. Since these results suggest a continued rise in methane emissions with future sea ice decline, observation programs need to include measurements during the autumn to further investigate the impact of this spatial connection on terrestrial methane emissions.
U2 - 10.1002/2015GL065013
DO - 10.1002/2015GL065013
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 27667870
SN - 0094-8276
VL - 42
SP - 7214
EP - 7222
JO - Geophysical Research Letters
JF - Geophysical Research Letters
IS - 17
ER -
