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A scalable model for methane consumption in arctic mineral soils
Author(s) -
Oh Youmi,
Stackhouse Brandon,
Lau Maggie C. Y.,
Xu Xiangtao,
Trugman Anna T.,
Moch Jonathan,
Onstott Tullis C.,
Jørgensen Christian J.,
D'Imperio Ludovica,
Elberling Bo,
Emmerton Craig A.,
St. Louis Vincent L.,
Medvigy David
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2016gl069049
Subject(s) - methane , sink (geography) , soil water , environmental science , arctic , microcosm , flux (metallurgy) , environmental chemistry , methanotroph , atmospheric sciences , soil science , chemistry , anaerobic oxidation of methane , ecology , geology , biology , cartography , organic chemistry , geography
Recent field studies have documented a surprisingly strong and consistent methane sink in arctic mineral soils, thought to be due to high‐affinity methanotrophy. However, the distinctive physiology of these methanotrophs is poorly represented in mechanistic methane models. We developed a new model, constrained by microcosm experiments, to simulate the activity of high‐affinity methanotrophs. The model was tested against soil core‐thawing experiments and field‐based measurements of methane fluxes and was compared to conventional mechanistic methane models. Our simulations show that high‐affinity methanotrophy can be an important component of the net methane flux from arctic mineral soils. Simulations without this process overestimate methane emissions. Furthermore, simulations of methane flux seasonality are improved by dynamic simulation of active microbial biomass. Because a large fraction of the Arctic is characterized by mineral soils, high‐affinity methanotrophy will likely have a strong effect on its net methane flux.