Methane emission from natural wetlands: Global distribution, area, and environmental characteristics of sources

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GB001i001p00061· OSTI ID:6943073

Matthews, E; Fung, I ^[1]

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1. New York Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NY (USA)

A global data base of wetlands at 1 degree resolution was developed from the integration of three independent global, digital sources: (1) vegetation, (2) soil properties and (3) fractional inundation in each 1 degree cell. The integration yielded a global distribution of wetland sites identified with in situ ecological and environmental characteristics. The wetland sites were classified into five major groups on the basis of environmental characteristics governing methane emissions. The global wetland area derived in this study is 5.3 trillion sq m, approximately twice the wetland area previously used in methane emission studies. Methane emission was calculated using methane fluxes for the major wetland groups, and simple assumptions about the duration of the methane production season. The annual methane emission from wetlands is about 110 Tg, well within the range of previous estimates. Tropical/subtropical peat-poor swamps from 20 degrees N to 30 degrees S account from 30% of the global wetland area and 25% of the total methane emission. About 60% of the total emission comes from peat-rich bogs concentrated from 50-70 degrees N, suggesting that the highly seasonal emission from these ecosystems is the major contributor to the large annual oscillations observed in atmospheric methane concentrations at these latitudes. 78 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6943073
• Journal Information: Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (USA), Journal Name: Global Biogeochemical Cycles; (USA) Vol. 1:1; ISSN 0886-6236; ISSN GBCYE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKANES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
HYDROCARBONS
METHANE
MONITORING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION SOURCES
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOILS
VARIATIONS
WETLANDS