[sup 13]C/[sup 12]C fractionation of methane during oxidation in a temperate forested soil

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(94)90564-9· OSTI ID:7183197

Tyler, S C ^[1]; Crill, P M ^[2]; Brailsford, G W ^[3]

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1. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
2. Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)
3. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Lower Hutt (New Zealand)

The authors have made measurements of the [sup 13]C/[sup 12]C fractionation of methane (CH[sub 4]) during microbial oxidation by an upland temperate soil from College Woods, New Hampshire, using both in situ and laboratory incubation measurements. Uptake rates of 1-4.8 mg CH[sub 4]/m[sup 2]/d were measured during the active season in New Hampshire while rates of uptake were 2.6-6.8 mg CH[sub 4]/m[sup 2]/d in jars used for incubation studies. The fractionation factor, calculated from field measurements, was [alpha] = 0.978 [+-] .004. This corresponds to a kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of K[sub 12]/k[sub 13] = 1.022 [+-] .004. Only a small dependence on temperature was noted for air temperatures between 281 and 296 K. The results indicate that the KIE of soil CH[sub 4] oxidation is controlled by physical parameters based on gaseous diffusion into the soil. The implications of these results are discussed with respect to the global CH[sub 4] budget, and balancing CH[sub 4] sources and sinks through the use of [delta][sup 13]CH[sub 4] measurements.

• OSTI ID: 7183197
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States) Vol. 58:6; ISSN GCACAK; ISSN 0016-7037
• 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
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
CARBON ISOTOPES
CARBON SINKS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CLIMATIC CHANGE
HYDROCARBONS
ISOTOPE EFFECTS
ISOTOPES
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
SINKS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE