Energy input is primary controller of methane bubbling in subarctic lakes. Issue 2 (24th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wik, Martin; Thornton, Brett F.; Bastviken, David; MacIntyre, Sally; Varner, Ruth K.; Crill, Patrick M.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 41:Issue 2(2014:Jan.)
• Page Start: 555
• Page End: 560
• Publication Date: 2014-01-24
• Subjects: Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2013GL058510
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Emission of methane (CH₄) from surface waters is often dominated by ebullition (bubbling), a transport mode with high‐spatiotemporal variability. Based on new and extensive CH₄ ebullition data, we demonstrate striking correlations (<italic>r</italic>² between 0.92 and 0.997) when comparing seasonal bubble CH₄ flux from three shallow subarctic lakes to four readily measurable proxies of incoming energy flux and daily flux magnitudes to surface sediment temperature (<italic>r</italic>² between 0.86 and 0.94). Our results after continuous multiyear sampling suggest that CH₄ ebullition is a predictable process, and that heat flux into the lakes is the dominant driver of gas production and release. Future changes in the energy received by lakes and ponds due to shorter ice‐covered seasons will predictably alter the ebullitive CH₄ flux from freshwater systems across northern landscapes. This finding is critical for our understanding of the dynamics of radiatively important trace gas sources and associated climate feedback.</p> </abstract>