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Seasonal variation of methane emissions from a temperate swamp

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Abstract

Methane flux measurements were made at four sites in a freshwater temperate swamp over the 13 month period of April 1985 through May 1986. Emissions were highly variable both between sites and over time at any one site. Ebullition from sediments was an important component of methane release. Although release of methane through bubbling occurred in only 19% of the measurements made between April and June 1985, when instrumentation allowed us to separate diffusive and bubble fluxes, ebullition accounted for 34% of the total flux during this period. Methane release rates showed a strong seasonal variation, with highest emission rates observed in early spring and again in late summer, which was associated with changes in plant growth and physiology. Emission rates were partially correlated with sediment temperature, but the relationship was not straightforward, and resembled a step function. Emissions responded strongly to temperature change through the range of 10–16°C. At winter sediment temperatures between 4–9°C, CH4 flux continued at low rates (0–28 mg CH4 m−2d−1; average = 7.9 mg CH4m−2d−1) and appeared insensitive to changes in sediment temperature. Annual methane emission from three constantly flooded sites (mean water depth = 35 cm) was 43.7 +/- 7.8 gm−2 (standard error); annual flux from a bank site was 41.4 +/- 20.5 gm−2. A comparison of flux measurements from fresh and saline wetlands in the immediate area of Newport News Swamp emphasizes the importance of edaphic factors in controlling flux.

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Author notes

  1. John O. Wilson

    Present address: LAC/DR/E, Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C., 20523, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NRC-LaRC Research Associate, MS 483, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23665, USA

    John O. Wilson

  2. The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, 23185, USA

    Patrick M. Crill & Karen B. Bartlett

  3. Atmospheric Sciences Division, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23665, USA

    Daniel I. Sebacher & Robert C. Harriss

  4. Biology Department, Rice University, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, TX, 77251, USA

    Ronald L. Sass

Authors
  1. John O. Wilson
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  2. Patrick M. Crill
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  3. Karen B. Bartlett
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  4. Daniel I. Sebacher
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  5. Robert C. Harriss
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  6. Ronald L. Sass
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Wilson, J.O., Crill, P.M., Bartlett, K.B. et al. Seasonal variation of methane emissions from a temperate swamp. Biogeochemistry 8, 55–71 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02180167

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