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Atmospheric methane removal by boreal plants
Author(s) -
Sundqvist Elin,
Crill Patrick,
Mölder Meelis,
Vestin Patrik,
Lindroth Anders
Publication year - 2012
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 - 10.1029/2012gl053592
Subject(s) - picea abies , methane , environmental science , taiga , sink (geography) , boreal , rowan , anaerobic oxidation of methane , troposphere , environmental chemistry , pinaceae , atmospheric sciences , soil water , botany , chemistry , forestry , pinus <genus> , ecology , soil science , biology , geology , geography , cartography , organic chemistry
Several studies have proposed aerobic methane (CH 4 ) emissions by plants. If confirmed, these findings would further increase the imbalance in the global CH 4 budget which today underestimates CH 4 sinks. Oxidation by OH‐radicals in the troposphere is the major identified sink followed by smaller contribution from stratospheric loss and oxidation by methano‐ and methylotrophic bacteria in soils. This study directly investigated CH 4 exchange by plants in their natural environment. At a forest site in central Sweden, in situ branch chamber measurements were used to study plant ambient CH 4 exchange by spruce ( Picea abies ), birch ( Betula pubescens ), rowan ( Sorbus aucuparia ) and pine ( Pinus sylvestris ). The results show a net uptake of CH 4 by all the studied plants, which might be of importance for the methane budget.