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Determination of Methane Oxidation in the Rhizosphere of Sagittaria lancifolia Using Methyl Fluoride
Author(s) -
Schipper Louis A.,
Reddy K. R.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1996.03615995006000020039x
Subject(s) - methane , rhizosphere , anaerobic oxidation of methane , environmental chemistry , chemistry , soil water , environmental science , soil science , organic chemistry , geology , bacteria , paleontology
Methane oxidation in the rhizosphere of wetland plants may significantly attenuate methane losses from wetland soils to the atmosphere. Our objective was to measure the extent of methane production and oxidation in the rhizosphere of a common wetland plant ( Sagittaria lancifolia L. Per.). Methyl fluoride (CH 3 F), a water‐soluble gas and a specific inhibitor of methane oxidation, was used in conjunction with a closed chamber technique to determine rhizospheric methane oxidation in a greenhouse study. Rhizospheric methane oxidation was also estimated using a mass balance approach. Measurements of soil methane production were made using short‐term anaerobic incubations of soil. Soil methane production and plant emissions of methane were inversely related to plant biomass, presumably because larger plants transported more O 2 into the rhizosphere and inhibited methanogenic activity. Methane oxidation averaged 65% (SD = 24%, n = 14) as estimated by the CH 3 F technique and 79% (SD = 20%, n = 14) using the mass balance approach. Methane oxidation percentage calculated by either method was not correlated to plant biomass. Results suggest that rhizospheric methane oxidation is an important attenuator of methane emissions from vegetated wetland soils.