Carbon isotopic composition of methane in Florida Everglades soils and fractionation during its transport to the troposphere

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GB002i003p00245· OSTI ID:6877646

Chanton, J P; Pauly, G G; Martens, C S; Blair, N E; Dacey, J W.H. ^[1]

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1. North Carolina Univ., Chapel Hill (USA)

The delta-C{sup 13} stable carbon isotopic composition of methane collected in bubbles from the submerged soils of specific environments within the Everglades wetland in southern Florida varied from {minus}70{per thousand} to {minus}63{per thousand} across the system while organic carbon in the soils and dominant plants varied from {minus}28{per thousand} to {minus}25{per thousand}. A methane isotopic budget based upon the soil bubble isotope data and published methane flux measurements predicted a flux of isotopic composition {minus}65{per thousand}, a value 5-10{per thousand} more depleted in C{sup 13} than the isotopic composition of methane emanating to the atmosphere. Emergent aquatic plants, which are known to be active methane transporters between soil and atmosphere in this ecosystem, were found to transport methane of delta-C{sup 13} content up to 12{per thousand} different from the delta-C{sup 13} content of the soil methane bubble reservoir. Methane C{sup 13} content at one site was determined to be 108.6% modern (delta-C{sup 13} = 83 + or{minus}10{per thousand}). 47 refs., 1 fig., 5 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6877646
• Journal Information: Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (USA), Journal Name: Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (USA) Vol. 2:3; ISSN GBCYE; ISSN 0886-6236
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
ALKANES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CARBON 13
CARBON ISOTOPES
CHEMISTRY
DIFFUSION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLORIDA
FRACTIONATION
GEOCHEMISTRY
HYDROCARBONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS TRANSFER
METHANE
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
STABLE ISOTOPES
TROPOSPHERE
USA
WETLANDS