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Diffusion-controlled transport of methane from soil to atmosphere as mediated by rice plants

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Abstract

Methane emission from rice grown in flooded soil was measured in pot experiments using headspaces with different gas composition. The emission rates varied with the atmospheric composition. Based on the kinetic theory of gases the binary diffusion coefficients for methane in various gases were calculated. The ratios of the measured emissions under a certain atmosphere relative to that in air were similar to the ratios of the binary diffusion coefficients showing that plant-mediated CH4 transport is driven by diffusion. Small deviations from the theoretical ratios of emissions support the hypothesis that mass flow of gas to the submerged parts of the rice plant may depress the upward diffusive CH4 flux. The results in combination with data from the literature suggest that the rate limiting step in plant-mediated methane transport is diffusion of CH4 across the root/shoot junction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science and Geology, Agricultural University Wageningen, P.O. Box 37, 6700, AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

    H. A. Den van der Gon & N. Van Breemen

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  1. H. A. Den van der Gon
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  2. N. Van Breemen
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Den van der Gon, H.A., Van Breemen, N. Diffusion-controlled transport of methane from soil to atmosphere as mediated by rice plants. Biogeochemistry 21, 177–190 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001117

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001117

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