5 research outputs found
Methane Emissions from Paludified Boreal Soils in European Russia as Measured and Modelled
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Fire Impact on the Formation and Development of the Boreal Pine Wooded Mires
Based on the analysis of the botanical composition of the organic-mineral soil layer and peat, dendrochronological and radiocarbon datings, we performed the reconstruction of the development of six pine wooded sphagnum bogs located in the boreal zone of Russia. Most of the bogs under study followed the endogenesis patterns with the vegetation cover gradually changing, peat layer growing, substrate trophicity declining and shrub-sphagnous vegetation forming under modern conditions. Emerging pyrogenic layers and charcoals in the peat indicate that the study sites were constantly affected by fires, which periodically interrupted the endogenous development of the bogs, especially during the warmest Holocene periods
Russian boreal peatlands dominate the natural European methane budget
About 60% of the European wetlands are located in the European part of Russia. Nevertheless, data on
methane emissions from wetlands of that area are absent. Here we present results of methane emission
measurements for two climatically different years from a boreal peatland complex in European Russia.
Winter fluxes were well within the range of what has been reported for the peatlands of other boreal
regions before, but summer fluxes greatly exceeded the average range of 5–80 mgCH4m−2 d−1 for the
circumpolar boreal zone. Half of the measured fluxes ranged between 150 and 450 mgCH4m−2 d−1.
Extrapolation of our data to the whole boreal zone of European Russia shows that theses emissions
could amount to up to 2.7±1.1 TgCH4 a−1, corresponding to 69% of the annual emissions from
European wetlands or 33% of the total annual natural European methane emission. In 2008, climatic
conditions corresponded to the long term mean, whereas the summer of 2011 was warmer and
noticeably drier. Counterintuitively, these conditions led to even higherCH4 emissions, with peaks up
to two times higher than the values measured in 2008. As Russian peatlands dominate the areal extend
of wetlands in Europe and are characterized by very high methane fluxes to the atmosphere, it is
evident, that sound European methane budgeting will only be achieved with more insight into Russian
peatlands