Is methane released from the forest canopy?

T.N. Mikkelsen, D. Bruhn, Per Lennart Ambus, Klaus Steenberg Larsen, I. Ibrom, K. Pilegaard

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Laboratory experiments show that rates of CH(4) emission from plant material depend exponentially on temperature and linearly on UV irradiance. The UV irradiance shall be spectrally weighted and shorter wavelengths results in higher CH(4) emissions. Global upscaling models for estimating aerobic CH(4), based on lab results, have be conducted with varying results, but until now field measurements based on profile and eddy covariance measurements have failed to show CH(4) emissions from forest canopies. To detect CH(4) production or consumption in the canopy of a beech stand we connected a CH(4) analyzer to a canopy air profile system that samples air below and above the canopy from seven different heights. A profile system with many vertical sample points can detect gas concentration gradients with a high sensitivity only under conditions with no or little air movements. Under these conditions we found indications of periodic CH(4) emissions in the canopy, but more data need to be analyzed before the magnitude of the canopy source of CH(4) can be established
Original languageEnglish
JournaliForest
Volume4
Pages (from-to)200-204
Number of pages5
ISSN1971-7458
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Externally publishedYes

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