Rising methane emissions from northern wetlands associated with sea ice decline
[1];
[4];
- Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science Lund University Lund Sweden, Arctic Research Centre Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
- Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science Lund University Lund Sweden
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam Netherlands, Institute of Arctic Biology University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska USA
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences and Department of Agronomy Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam Netherlands
- Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge Tennessee USA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska USA
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.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- DE‐SC0007007; AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1222499
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1240459; OSTI ID: 1335325
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Vol. 42 Journal Issue: 17; ISSN 0094-8276
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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