Journal article
Hydroclimate and landscape diversity drive highly variable greenhouse gas emissions from tropical and subtropical inland waters
Nature water, Vol.First online
17/10/2025
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Source: InCites
Abstract
(Sub)tropical inland waters are important greenhouse gas (GHG) sources, yet limited observations have long hindered broad analyses of GHG variability across this diverse region. Here, through a meta-analysis, we have examined the rates and drivers of GHG emissions from flowing and standing (sub)tropical inland waters. We find considerable spatial variation in fluxes, largely related to differences in hydroclimate, geomorphology, land cover and human disturbance. Flowing waters emit more carbon dioxide (3,387 5,702 2,121 TgCO2 yr−1, expressing median third quartile first quartile ), methane (10.6 28.8 0.1 TgCH4 yr−1) and nitrous oxide (0.62 1.10 0.35 TgN2O yr−1) than standing waters (114 219 73 TgCO2 yr−1, 5.4 9.1 2.1 TgCH4 yr−1 and 0.03 0.05 0.02 TgN2O yr−1, respectively). (Sub)tropical inland waters release 4,238 7375 2473 TgCO2-equivalents annually, with first- to third-order streams contributing 75% of riverine emissions and lakes larger than 100 km2 contributing 59% of standing water emissions. Our results suggest emissions from (sub)tropical waters are 29–72% lower than earlier estimates, a downward revision with important implications for global GHG budgets.
Details
- Title
- Hydroclimate and landscape diversity drive highly variable greenhouse gas emissions from tropical and subtropical inland waters
- Creators
- Clément Duvert - Charles Darwin UniversityAlberto Borges - University of LiègeElisa Calamita - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and TechnologyGerard Rocher-Ros - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesAnnika Linkhorst - FIHGJudith A. Rosentreter - Southern Cross UniversityShaoda Liu - Beijing Normal UniversityPierre Taillardat - Nanyang Technological UniversityKatrin Attermeyer - WCLTonya DelSontro - University of WaterlooLoris Deirmendjian - UPSFAlicia A. Dixon - University of New HampshireCharlotte Grasset - Uppsala UniversityAllison M. Herreid - USDAALuke C. Jeffrey - Southern Cross UniversityLediane Marcon - Forschungszentrum JülichRicky M. Mwanake - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyJosé R. Paranaíba - Radboud University (The Netherlands)Lishan Ran - The University of Hong Kong (China, Hong Kong SAR)Adam T. Rexroade - Charles Darwin UniversityVanessa Solano - Charles Darwin UniversityFrancesco Ulloa-Cedamanos - Charles Darwin UniversityJilong Wang - Tianjin UniversityKeridwen M. Whitmore - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillLiwei Zhang - East China Normal UniversityCarla López-Lloreda - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityMarcia N. Macedo - Woodwell Climate Research CenterDiana Oviedo-Vargas - Stroud Water Research CenterDiego A. Riveros-Iregui - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNicholas S. Marzolf - The Jones Center at Ichauway
- Publication Details
- Nature water, Vol.First online
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC; LONDON
- Grant note
- Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC): DE220100852 Australian Research Council: 4000133621/20/I/NB European Space Agency as part of the Climate Change Initiative fellowship (ESA): DEB-1950832 National Science FoundationAustralian Research Council: DE220100852
This research was supported by the Australian Research Council through grant DE220100852 awarded to C.D. Our effort to compile this database began during the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Society for Freshwater Science, session S11 'Greenhouse gases in tropical streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands: current work and future research needs'. We thank the meeting organizers for facilitating the session. E.C. acknowledges support from the European Space Agency as part of the Climate Change Initiative fellowship (ESA ESRIN/contract no. 4000133621/20/I/NB). M.N.M acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation (DEB-1950832).
- Identifiers
- 991013323323402368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article