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No evidence for substantial aerobic methane emission by terrestrial plants: a 13 C‐labelling approach
Author(s) -
Dueck Tom A.,
De Visser Ries,
Poorter Hendrik,
Persijn Stefan,
Gorissen Antonie,
De Visser Willem,
Schapendonk Ad,
Verhagen Jan,
Snel Jan,
Harren Frans J. M.,
Ngai Anthony K. Y.,
Verstappen Francel,
Bouwmeester Harro,
Voesenek Laurentius A. C. J.,
Van Der Werf Adrie
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02103.x
Subject(s) - methane , terrestrial plant , carbon fibers , isotopes of carbon , environmental science , vegetation (pathology) , methane emissions , terrestrial ecosystem , atmospheric methane , environmental chemistry , greenhouse gas , labelling , chemistry , ecology , biology , ecosystem , computer science , total organic carbon , medicine , biochemistry , composite number , algorithm , pathology
Summary• The results of a single publication stating that terrestrial plants emit methane has sparked a discussion in several scientific journals, but an independent test has not yet been performed. • Here it is shown, with the use of the stable isotope 13 C and a laser‐based measuring technique, that there is no evidence for substantial aerobic methane emission by terrestrial plants, maximally 0.3% (0.4 ng g −1 h −1 ) of the previously published values. • Data presented here indicate that the contribution of terrestrial plants to global methane emission is very small at best. • Therefore, a revision of carbon sequestration accounting practices based on the earlier reported contribution of methane from terrestrial vegetation is redundant.