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- Title
The importance of floating peat to methane fluxes from flooded peatlands
- Authors
Scott, Karen J.; Kelly, Carol A.; Rudd, John W. M.
- Abstract
The effect of flooding on methane (CH4) fluxes was studied through the construction of an experimental reservoir in a boreal forest wetland at the Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario.Prior to flooding, the peatland surface was a small source of CH4 to the atmosphere (1.0 +/- SD of 2.3 mg CH4 m-2 d-1). After flooding, CH4 fluxes fromthe submerged peat surface increased to 64+/-68 mg CH4 m-2 d-1. CH4 bubbles within the submerged peat caused about 1/3 of the peat to float. Fluxes from these floating peat islands were much higher (440+/-350 mg CH4 m-2 d-1) than from both the pre-flood (undisturbed)and the post-flood (submerged) peat surfaces.The high fluxes of CH4 from the floating peat surfaces may be explained by a number of factors known to affect the production and consumption of CH4 in peat. In floating peat, however, these factors are particularly enhanced and include decreased oxidation of CH4 due to the loss of aerobic habitat normally found above the water tableof undisturbed peat and to increased peat temperatures. The extremely high fluxes associated with newly lifted peat may decrease as the islands age. However, CH4 flux rates from floating peat islands that were several years old still far exceeded those from undisturbed peat surfaces and from the water surface of a newly created reservoir.
- Subjects
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY; METHANE; PEAT; WETLANDS; ATMOSPHERIC chemistry
- Publication
Biogeochemistry, 1999, Vol 47, Issue 2, p187
- ISSN
0168-2563
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/BF00994922