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Plant‐dependent CH 4 emission in a subarctic Canadian fen
Author(s) -
Whiting Gary J.,
Chanton Jeffrey P.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/92gb00710
Subject(s) - subarctic climate , carex , environmental science , vegetation (pathology) , biomass (ecology) , methanogenesis , wetland , peat , photosynthesis , growing season , plant community , atmospheric sciences , methane , ecology , botany , geology , ecological succession , biology , medicine , pathology
The importance of vegetation in affecting CH 4 emissions was investigated in a Carex ‐dominated fen located near Schefferville, Quebec, and in the Experimental Lakes Area, Ontario. Comparison of emission rates with and without the presence of aboveground vegetation indicated that over 90% of the emission was plant‐associated transport. Further evidence of this association was found in a linear correlation of CH 4 emission with aboveground plant biomass (R=0.93). To test the importance of aboveground plant photosynthetic production on methane production, aboveground vegetation was clipped from sites continually over the growing season. Both emissions and dissolved pore water CH 4 were reduced relative to adjacent vegetated areas. A significant correlation (R=0.93) of CH 4 emissions with net CO 2 exchange in this fen gives evidence of the close association between new plant production and methanogenesis.