A process-based, climate-sensitive model to derive methane emissions from natural wetlands: application to 5 wetlands sites, sensitivity to model parameters and climate

Methane emissions from natural wetlands constitutes the largest methane source at present and depends highly on the climate. In order to investigate the response of methane emissions from natural wetlands to climate variations, a 1-dimensional process-based climate-sensitive model to derive methane emissions from natural wetlands is developed. In the model the processes leading to methane emission are simulated within a 1-dimensional soil column and the three different transport mechanisms diffusion, plant-mediated transport and ebullition are modeled explicitly. The model forcing consists of daily values of soil temperature, water table and net primary productivity, and at permafrost sites the thaw depth is included. The methane model is tested using observational data obtained at 5 wetland sites located in North America, Europe and Central America, representing a large variety of environmental conditions. It can be shown that in most cases seasonal variations in methane emissions can be explained by the combined effect of changes in soil temperature and the position of the water table. Our results also show that a process-based approach is needed, because there is no simple relationship between these controlling factors and methane emissions that applies to a variety of wetland sites. The sensitivity of the model to the choice of key model parameters is tested and further sensitivity tests are performed to demonstrate how methane emissions from wetlands respond to climate variations. (orig.)76 refs.Available from TIB Hannover: RR 1347(293) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

A process-based model to derive methane emissions from natural wetlands

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 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. In summer, despite higher methane production rates, the modelled methane concentrations in the soil were found to be lower than in winter because of enhanced plant-mediated transport. The measured methane concentration profiles show a similar behaviour. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman