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Geographic and seasonal variation of dissolved methane and aerobic methane oxidation in Alaskan lakes

Journal Article · · Biogeosciences (Online)
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Inst. (Cinvestav), Mexico City (Mexico); Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (United States). Water and Environmental Research Center; Univ Alaska Fairbanks, Water & Environm Res Ctr, Fairbanks, AK 99775 USA
  2. Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (United States). Water and Environmental Research Center
  3. Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (United States). Water and Environmental Research Centerv
  4. Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Inst. (Cinvestav), Mexico City (Mexico); Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (United States). Water and Environmental Research Center

Methanotrophic bacteria play an important role oxidizing a significant fraction of methane (CH4) produced in lakes. Aerobic CH4 oxidation depends mainly on lake CH4 and oxygen (O2) concentrations, in such a manner that higher MO rates are usually found at the oxic/anoxic interface, where both molecules are present. MO also depends on temperature, and via methanogenesis, on organic carbon input to lakes, including from thawing permafrost in thermokarst (thaw)-affected lakes. Given the large variability in these environmental factors, CH4 oxidation is expected to be subject to large seasonal and geographic variations, which have been scarcely reported in the literature. In the present study, we measured CH4 oxidation rates in 30 Alaskan lakes along a north-south latitudinal transect during winter and summer with a new field laser spectroscopy method. Additionally, we measured dissolved CH4 and O2 concentrations. Here, we found that in the winter, aerobic CH4 oxidation was mainly controlled by the dissolved O2 concentration, while in the summer it was controlled primarily by the CH4 concentration, which was scarce compared to dissolved O2. The permafrost environment of the lakes was identified as another key factor. Thermokarst (thaw) lakes formed in yedoma-type permafrost had significantly higher CH4 oxidation rates compared to other thermokarst and non-thermokarst lakes formed in non-yedoma permafrost environments. As thermokarst lakes formed in yedoma-type permafrost have been identified to receive large quantities of terrestrial organic carbon from thaw and subsidence of the surrounding landscape into the lake, confirming the strong coupling between terrestrial and aquatic habitats and its influence on CH4 cycling.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (United States). Water and Environmental Research Center
Sponsoring Organization:
National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0006920
OSTI ID:
1441151
Journal Information:
Biogeosciences (Online), Journal Name: Biogeosciences (Online) Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 12; ISSN 1726-4189
Publisher:
European Geosciences UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (27)

Sub-oxycline methane oxidation can fully uptake CH4 produced in sediments: case study of a lake in Siberia journal February 2020
Modeling CO 2 emissions from A rctic lakes: Model development and site‐level study journal September 2017
Methane oxidation at the water-ice interface of an ice-covered lake: Methane oxidation at the water-ice interface journal March 2016
A synthesis of carbon dioxide and methane dynamics during the ice-covered period of northern lakes: Under-ice CO journal April 2018
A simple model for the numerical characterization of spatiotemporal variability in aquatic ecosystems journal July 2019
Methane oxidation kinetics in northern freshwater lakes journal February 2019
The Extent and Regulation of Summer Methane Oxidation in Northern Lakes journal October 2018
Carbon Dioxide and Methane Dynamics in a Small Boreal Lake During Winter and Spring Melt Events journal August 2018
Seasonal Sources of Whole‐Lake CH 4 and CO 2 Emissions From Interior Alaskan Thermokarst Lakes journal May 2019
Future Carbon Emission From Boreal and Permafrost Lakes Are Sensitive to Catchment Organic Carbon Loads journal July 2019
Winter Accumulation of Methane and its Variable Timing of Release from Thermokarst Lakes in Subarctic Peatlands journal November 2019
Climate‐Sensitive Controls on Large Spring Emissions of CH 4 and CO 2 From Northern Lakes journal July 2019
Methane production increases with warming and carbon additions to incubated sediments from a semiarid reservoir journal January 2018
First evidence for cold-adapted anaerobic oxidation of methane in deep sediments of thermokarst lakes journal March 2019
Methane turnover and methanotrophic communities in arctic aquatic ecosystems of the Lena Delta, Northeast Siberia journal May 2016
Assessment of methane and carbon dioxide emissions in two sub-basins of a small acidic bog lake artificially divided 30 years ago journal September 2018
Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from thermokarst lakes on mineral soils journal December 2018
Diversity and potential activity of methanotrophs in high methane-emitting permafrost thaw ponds journal November 2017
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Exceptional summer warming leads to contrasting outcomes for methane cycling in small Arctic lakes of Greenland journal January 2017
Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from 40 lakes along a north–south latitudinal transect in Alaska journal January 2014
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Methane production increases with warming and carbon additions to incubated sediments from a semiarid reservoir text January 2018
Methane production increases with warming and carbon additions to incubated sediments from a semiarid reservoir text January 2018

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