Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Methane emission from Arctic tundra

  • Published:
Biogeochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Concerns about a possible feedback effect on global warming following possible increased emissions of methane from tundra environments have lead to series of methane flux studies of northern wetland/tundra environments. Most of these studies have been carried out in boreal sub-Arctic regions using different techniques and means of assessing representativeness of the tundra. Here are reported a time series of CH4 flux measurements from a true Arctic tundra site. A total of 528 independent observations were made at 22 fixed sites during the summers of 1991 and 1992. The data are fully comparable to the most extensive dataset yet produced on methane emissions from sub-Arctic tundra-like environments. Based on the data presented, from a thaw-season with approximately 55% of normal precipitation, a global tundra CH4 source of 18–30 Tg CH4 yr−1 is estimated. This is within the range of 42±26 Tg CH4 yr−1 found in a similar sub-Arctic tundra environment. No single-parameter relationship between one environmental factor and CH4 flux covering all sites was found. This is also in line with conclusions drawn in the sub-Arctic. However, inter-season variations in CH4 flux at dry sites were largely controlled by the position of the water table, while flux from wetter sites seemed mainly to be controlled by soil temperature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aselman I & Crutzen PJ (1989) Global distributions of natural freshwater wetlands and rice paddies, their net primary productivity, seasonality and possible methane emissions. J. Atmos. Chem. 8: 307–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett KB, Crill P, Sass RC, Harriss RS & Dise NB (1992) Methane emissions from tundra environments in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. J. Geophys. Res. 97D: 16645–16660

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen T (1991) Arctic and sub-Arctic soil emissions: possible implications for global climate change. Polar Record 27: 205–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crill PM, Bartlett KB, Harriss RC, Gorham E, Verry ES, Sebacher DI, Madzar L & Sanner W (1988) Methane flux from Minnesota peatlands. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 2: 371–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Dice NB (1992) Winter fluxes of methane from Minnesota peatlands. Biogeochem. 17: 71–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Fung I, John J, Lerner J, Matthews E, Prather M, Steele LP & Fraser PJ (1991) Threedimensional model synthesis of the global methane cycle. J. Geophys. Res. 96D: 13033–13065

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (1990) Climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Scientific Assessment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • King GM (1990) Regulation by light of methane emissions from a wetland. Nature 345: 513–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kummerow J, Ellis BA, Kummerow S & Chapin FS (1983) Spring growth of shoots and roots in shrubs of an Alaskan muskeg. Am. J. Bot. 70: 1509–1515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LTER (1991) Addendum to the 1988–1990 weather data summary. Woods Hole, LTER Marine Biological Laboratory (unpublished weather report)

  • Mathews E (1983) Global vegetation and land use: New high-resolution data bases for climate studies. J. Clim. Appl. Meteorol. 22: 474–487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathews E & Fung I (1987) Methane emission from natural wetlands: global distribution, area, and environmental characteristics of sources. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 1: 61–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore TR, Roulet N & Knowles R (1990) Spatial and temporal variations of methane flux from subarctic/northern boreal fens. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 4: 29–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrissey LA & Livingston GP (1992) Methane emission from Alaska Arctic tundra: an assessment of local spatial variability. J. Geophys. Res. 97D: 16661–16670

    Google Scholar 

  • NOAA (1991) Climatological Data Alaska, June–August 1991 (Volume 77, Number 6–8). National Climate Data Center, Asheville

    Google Scholar 

  • Oremland RS & Culbertson CW (1992) Importance of methane-oxidizing bacteria in the methane budget as revealed by the use of a specific inhibitor. Nature 356: 421–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parkin TB (1987) Soil microsites as a source of denitrification variability. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51: 1194–1199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Post WM, Emanuel WR, Zinke PJ & Stangenberger AG (1982) Soil carbon pools and world life zones. Nature 298: 156–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quay PD, Stagg LK, Lansdown JM & Wilbur DO (1988) Isotopic composition of methane released from wetlands: implications for the increase in atmospheric methane. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 2: 385–397

    Google Scholar 

  • Quay PD, King SL, Stutsman J, Wilbur DO, Steele LP, Fung I, Gammon RH, Brown TA, Farwell GW, Grootes PM & Schmidt FH (1991) Carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CH4: fossil and biomass burning source strengths. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 5: 25–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Reeburgh WS, Whalen SC & Alperin MJ (1993) The role of methylotrophy in the global CH4 budget. In: Murrell JC & Kelley DP (Eds) MIcrovial Growth on C-1 Compounds. Intercept, Andover, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Roulet NT, Ash R & Moore TR (1992) Low Boreal Wetlands as a source of atmospheric methane. J. Geophys. Res. 97D: 3739–3749

    Google Scholar 

  • Sebacher DI, Harriss RC, Bartlett KB, Sebacher SM & Grice SS (1986) Atmospheric methane sources: Alaskan tundra bogs, an alpine fen, and a subarctic boreal marsh. Tellus 38B: 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Steudler PA, Bowden RD, Mellillo JM & Aber JD (1989) Influence of nitrogen fertilization on methane uptake in temperate forest soils. Nature 341: 314–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Svensson BH & Roswall T (1984) In situ methane production from acid peat in plant communities with different moisture regimes in a subarctic mire. Oikos 43: 341–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker DA, Lederer ND & Walker MD (1987) Permanent Vegetation Plots, Data Report. Department of Energy R4D Program. University of Colorado, Boulder, INSTAAR

    Google Scholar 

  • Whalen SC & Reeburgh WS (1988) A methane flux time series for tundra environments. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 2: 399–409

    Google Scholar 

  • Whalen SC & Reeburgh WS (1990a) A methane flux transect along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Haul Road. Tellus 42B: 237–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whalen SC & Reeburgh WS (1990b) Consumption of atmospheric methane by tundra soils. Nature 346: 160–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whalen SC & Reeburgh WS (1992) Interannual variations in tundra methane emissions: A four-year time-series at fixed sites. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 6: 139–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Whiting GJ & Chanton JP (1992) Plant-dependent CH4, emission in a subarctic Canadian fen. Global Biogeochem. Global Biogeochem. Cycles. 6: 225–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Windsor J, Moore, TR & Roulet NT (1993) Episodic fluxes of methane from subarctic fens. Can. J. Soil Sci. In press

  • Yavitt JB, Lang GE & Sexstone AJ (1990) Methane fluxes in wetland and forest soils, beaver ponds and low-order streams of a temperate forest ecosystem. J. Geophys. Res. 95D: 22463–22474

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Rd, Cambridge, CB2 1ER, England

    Torben R. Christensen

Authors
  1. Torben R. Christensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Christensen, T.R. Methane emission from Arctic tundra. Biogeochemistry 21, 117–139 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00000874

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00000874

Key words

Search

Navigation