Rising methane emissions from northern wetlands associated with sea ice decline

Frans-Jan Parmentier; Wenxin Zhang; Yanjiao Mi; Xudong Zhu; Jacobus van Huissteden; Daniel J. Hayes; Qianlai Zhuang; Torben R. Christensen; A. David McGuire

doi:10.1002/2015GL065013

Rising methane emissions from northern wetlands associated with sea ice decline

Frans-Jan Parmentier, Wenxin Zhang, Yanjiao Mi, Xudong Zhu, Jacobus van Huissteden, Daniel J. Hayes, Qianlai Zhuang, Torben R. Christensen, A. David McGuire

Geography

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Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	42
Issue number	17
Pages (from-to)	7214-7222
Number of pages	9
ISSN	0094-8276
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL065013
Publication status	Published - 16 Sept 2015

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Cite this

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title = "Rising methane emissions from northern wetlands associated with sea ice decline",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Frans-Jan Parmentier and Wenxin Zhang and Yanjiao Mi and Xudong Zhu and {van Huissteden}, Jacobus and {J. Hayes}, Daniel and Qianlai Zhuang and Christensen, {Torben R.} and {David McGuire}, A.",

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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.

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JO - Geophysical Research Letters

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Rising methane emissions from northern wetlands associated with sea ice decline

Abstract

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