Publication Date:
2017-01-23
Description:
Methane (CH_4) emissions from arctic tundra typically follow relations with soil temperature and water table depth, but these process-based descriptions can be difficult to apply to areas where no measurements exist. We formulated a description of the broader temporal flux pattern in the growing season based on two distinct CH_4 source components from slow and fast-turnover carbon. We used automatic closed chamber flux measurements from NE Greenland (74°N), W Greenland (64°N), and Svalbard (78°N) to identify and discuss these components. The temporal separation was well-suited in NE Greenland, where the hypothesized slow-turnover carbon peaked at a time significantly related to the timing of snowmelt. The temporally wider component from fast-turnover carbon dominated the emissions in W Greenland and Svalbard. Altogether, we found no dependence of the total seasonal CH_4 budget to the timing of snowmelt, and warmer sites and years tended to yield higher CH_4 emissions.
Print ISSN:
0044-7447
Electronic ISSN:
1654-7209
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
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