Fluid geochemistry investigations on the volcanic system of methana

An extensive geochemical survey on the fluids released by the volcanic/geothermal system of Methana was undertaken. Characterization of the gases was made on the basis of the chemical and isotopic (He and C) analysis of 14 samples. CO2 soil gas concentration and fluxes were measured on the whole peninsula at more than 100 sampling sites. 31 samples of thermal and cold groundwaters were also sampled and analysed to characterize the geochemistry of aquifers. Anomalies referable to the geothermal system, besides at known thermal manifesta-tions, were also recognized at some anomalous degassing soil site and in some cold groundwater. These anomalies were always spatially correlated to the main active tectonic system of the area. The total CO2 output of the volcanic system has been preliminary estimated in about 0.2 kg s-1. Although this value is low compared to other volcanic systems, anomalous CO2 degassing at Methana may pose gas hazard problems. Such volcanic risk, although restricted to limited areas, cannot be neglected and further studies have to be undertaken for its better assessmen

Diffuse and focused carbon dioxide and methane emissions from the Sousaki geothermal system, Greece

We report first data on chemical composition of the gas emitted by the geothermal system of Sousaki, Greece. Gas manifestations display typical geothermal gas composition with CO2 as the main component and CH4 and H2S as minor species. Soil gas composition derives from the mixing of two end-members (atmospheric air and geothermal gas). Soil CO2 fluxes range from<2 to 33,400 g m2 d1. The estimated diffuse output of hydrothermal CO2, estimated for an area of 0.015 km2, is about 630 g s1, while a tentative estimation of CH4 diffuse output gave a value of about 1.15 g s

GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THERMAL AND COLD GROUNDWATERS OF METHANA PENINSULA (PELOPONNESUS, GREECE)

A comprehensive hydrogeochemical study of the cold and thermal groundwaters of the presently quiescent volcanic system of Methana was undertaken collecting 59 natural water samples during the period 2004-2007. Methana is a peninsula whose climatology and hydrology can be compared to the nearby small islands of the Aegean Sea. Similarly the chemical and isotopic composition of its water is dominated by the mixing of seawater with meteoric water. But the simple mixing trend is modified by water-rock interaction processes, enhanced by the dissolution of endogenous CO2, leading to strong enrichments in Alkalinity, Calcium, Barium, Iron and Manganese

Static chamber methane flux measurements in volcanic/geothermal areas: preliminary data from Sousaki and Nisyros (Greece)

Methane plays an important role in the Earth’s atmospheric chemistry and radiative balance being the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Methane is released to the atmosphere by a wide number of sources, both natural and anthropogenic, with the latter being twice as large as the former (IPCC, 2007). It has recently been established that significant amounts of geological methane, produced within the Earth’s crust, are currently released naturally into the atmosphere (Etiope, 2004). Active or recent volcanic/geothermal areas represent one of these sources of geological methane. But due to the fact that methane flux measurements are laboratory intensive, very few data have been collected until now and the contribution of this source has been generally indirectly estimated (Etiope et al., 2007). The Greek territory is geodynamically very active and has many volcanic and geothermal areas. Here we report on methane flux measurements made at two volcanic/geothermal systems along the South Aegean volcanic arc: Sousaki and Nisyros. The former is an extinct volcanic area of Plio-Pleistocene age hosting nowadays a low enthalpy geothermal field. The latter is a currently quiescent active volcanic system with strong fumarolic activity due to the presence of a high enthalpy geothermal system. Both systems have gas manifestations that emit significant amounts of hydrothermal methane and display important diffuse carbon dioxide emissions from the soils. New data on methane isotopic composition and higher hydrocarbon contents point to an abiogenic origin of the hydrothermal methane in the studied systems. Measured methane flux values range from –48 to 29,000 (38 sites) and from –20 to 1100 mg/mˆ2/d (35 sites) at Sousaki and Nisyros respectively. At Sousaki measurement sites covered almost all the degassing area and the diffuse methane output can be estimated in about 20 t/a from a surface of about 10,000 mˆ2. At Nisyros measurements covered the Stephanos and Kaminakia areas, which represent only a part of the entire degassing area. The two areas show very different methane degassing pattern with latter showing much higher flux values. Methane output can be estimated in about 0.25 t/a from an area of about 30,000 mˆ2 at Stephanos and about 1 t/a from an area of about 20,000 mˆ2 at Kaminakia. The total output from the entire geothermal system of Nisyros probably should not exceed 2 t/a

HYDROTHERMAL METHANE FLUXES FROM THE SOIL AT SOUSAKI (GREECE)

Methane soil flux measurements have been made in 38 sites at the geothermal system of Sousaki (Greece) with the closed chamber method. Fluxes range from –47.6 to 29,150 mg m-2 d-1 and the diffuse CH4 output of the system has been estimated in 19 t/a. Contemporaneous CO2 flux measurements showed a fair positive correlation between CO2 and CH4 fluxes but the flux ratio evidenced methanotrophic activity within the soil. Laboratory CH4 consumption experiments confirmed the presence of methanotrophic microorganisms in soil samples collected at Sousaki. These results further confirm recent studies on other geothermal systems that revealed the existence of thermophilic and acidophilic bacteria exerting methanotrophic activity also in hot and acid soils thereby reducing methane emissions to the atmosphere

Shrub expansion modulates belowground impacts of changing snow conditions in alpine grasslands

From Wiley via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2021-05-03, rev-recd 2021-06-18, accepted 2021-10-06, pub-electronic 2021-10-27Article version: VoRPublication status: PublishedFunder: Natural Environment Research Council; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000270; Grant(s): NE/N009452/1Funder: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000268; Grant(s): BB/S010661/1Abstract: Climate change is disproportionately impacting mountain ecosystems, leading to large reductions in winter snow cover, earlier spring snowmelt and widespread shrub expansion into alpine grasslands. Yet, the combined effects of shrub expansion and changing snow conditions on abiotic and biotic soil properties remains poorly understood. We used complementary field experiments to show that reduced snow cover and earlier snowmelt have effects on soil microbial communities and functioning that persist into summer. However, ericaceous shrub expansion modulates a number of these impacts and has stronger belowground effects than changing snow conditions. Ericaceous shrub expansion did not alter snow depth or snowmelt timing but did increase the abundance of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi and oligotrophic bacteria, which was linked to decreased soil respiration and nitrogen availability. Our findings suggest that changing winter snow conditions have cross‐seasonal impacts on soil properties, but shifts in vegetation can modulate belowground effects of future alpine climate change

Shrub expansion modulates belowground impacts of changing snow conditions in alpine grasslands

Climate change is disproportionately impacting mountain ecosystems, leading to large reductions in winter snow cover, earlier spring snowmelt and widespread shrub expansion into alpine grasslands. Yet, the combined effects of shrub expansion and changing snow conditions on abiotic and biotic soil properties remains poorly understood. We used complementary field experiments to show that reduced snow cover and earlier snowmelt have effects on soil microbial communities and functioning that persist into summer. However, ericaceous shrub expansion modulates a number of these impacts and has stronger belowground effects than changing snow conditions. Ericaceous shrub expansion did not alter snow depth or snowmelt timing but did increase the abundance of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi and oligotrophic bacteria, which was linked to decreased soil respiration and nitrogen availability. Our findings suggest that changing winter snow conditions have cross-seasonal impacts on soil properties, but shifts in vegetation can modulate belowground effects of future alpine climate change