Journal article
Are methane emissions from mangrove stems a cryptic carbon loss pathway? Insights from a catastrophic forest mortality
New phytologist, Vol.224(1), pp.146-154
2019
Metrics
Abstract
<p>Growing evidence indicates that tree‐stem methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions may be an important and unaccounted‐for component of local, regional and global carbon (C) budgets. Studies to date have focused on upland and freshwater swamp‐forests; however, no data on tree‐stem fluxes from estuarine species currently exist. Here we provide the first‐ever mangrove tree‐stem CH<sub>4</sub> flux measurements from >50 trees (<em>n</em> = 230 measurements), in both standing dead and living forest, from a region suffering a recent large‐scale climate‐driven dieback event (Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia). Average CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from standing dead mangrove tree‐stems was 249.2 ± 41.0 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> d<sup>−1</sup> and was eight‐fold higher than from living mangrove tree‐stems (37.5 ± 5.8 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>). The average CH<sub>4</sub> flux from tree‐stem bases (<em>c</em>. 10 cm aboveground) was 1071.1 ± 210.4 and 96.8 ± 27.7 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> d<sup>−1</sup> from dead and living stands respectively. Sediment CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes and redox potentials did not differ significantly between living and dead stands. Our results suggest both dead and living tree‐stems act as CH<sub>4</sub> conduits to the atmosphere, bypassing potential sedimentary oxidation processes. Although large uncertainties exist when upscaling data from small‐scale temporal measurements, we estimated that dead mangrove tree‐stem emissions may account for <em>c</em>. 26% of the net ecosystem CH<sub>4</sub> flux.</p>
Details
- Title
- Are methane emissions from mangrove stems a cryptic carbon loss pathway? Insights from a catastrophic forest mortality
- Creators
- Luke C Jeffrey - Southern Cross University, AustraliaGloria Reithmaier - Southern Cross University, AustraliaJames Z Sippo - Southern Cross University, AustraliaScott G Johnston - Southern Cross University, AustraliaDouglas R Tait - Southern Cross University, AustraliaYota Harada - Griffith University, AustraliaDamien T Maher - Southern Cross University, Australia
- Publication Details
- New phytologist, Vol.224(1), pp.146-154
- Identifiers
- 1543; 991012821414502368
- Academic Unit
- National Marine Science Centre; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Southern Cross GeoScience; Science
- Resource Type
- Journal article