Role of regional wetland emissions in atmospheric methane variability

McNorton, J.; Gloor, E.; Wilson, C.; Hayman, G.D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3825-4156; Gedney, N.; Comyn-Platt, E.; Marthews, T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3727-6468; Parker, R.J.; Boesch, H.; Chipperfield, M.P.. 2016 Role of regional wetland emissions in atmospheric methane variability. Geophysical Research Letters, 43 (21). 11433-11444. 10.1002/2016GL070649

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Abstract/Summary

Atmospheric methane (CH4) accounts for ~20% of the total direct anthropogenic radiative forcing by long-lived greenhouse gases. Surface observations show a pause (1999–2006) followed by a resumption in CH4 growth, which remain largely unexplained. Using a land surface model, we estimate wetland CH4 emissions from 1993 to 2014 and study the regional contributions to changes in atmospheric CH4. Atmospheric model simulations using these emissions, together with other sources, compare well with surface and satellite CH4 data. Modeled global wetland emissions vary by ±3%/yr (σ = 4.8 Tg), mainly due to precipitation-induced changes in wetland area, but the integrated effect makes only a small contribution to the pause in CH4 growth from 1999 to 2006. Increasing temperature, which increases wetland area, drives a long-term trend in wetland CH4 emissions of +0.2%/yr (1999 to 2014). The increased growth post-2006 was partly caused by increased wetland emissions (+3%), mainly from Tropical Asia, Southern Africa, and Australia.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1002/2016GL070649
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Reynard
ISSN:	0094-8276
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	methane, wetlands, atmosphere
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	13 Dec 2016 14:50 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/515471

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