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A process‐based model to derive methane emissions from natural wetlands
Author(s) -
Walter B. P.,
Heimann M.,
Shan R. D.,
White J. R.
Publication year - 1996
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 - 10.1029/96gl03577
Subject(s) - methane , peat , environmental science , water table , wetland , atmospheric methane , hydrology (agriculture) , atmospheric sciences , diffusion , soil science , groundwater , geology , ecology , geotechnical engineering , biology , physics , thermodynamics
A process‐based model has been developed in order to calculate methane emissions from natural wetlands as a function of the hydrologic and thermal conditions in the soil. The considered processes in the model are methane production, methane consumption and transport of methane by diffusion, ebullition and through plants. The model has been tested against data from a three‐year field study from a Michigan peatland. The interannual and seasonal variations of the modelled methane emissions and methane concentration profiles are in good agreement with the observations. During the growing season the main emission pathway proceeds through plants. Ebullition occurs whenever the water table is above the soil surface, while diffusion is only significant in the first 15 days after a drop of the water table below the peat surface.