Changing boreal methane sources and constant biomass burning during the last termination

Nature
H FischerT F Stocker

Abstract

Past atmospheric methane concentrations show strong fluctuations in parallel to rapid glacial climate changes in the Northern Hemisphere superimposed on a glacial-interglacial doubling of methane concentrations. The processes driving the observed fluctuations remain uncertain but can be constrained using methane isotopic information from ice cores. Here we present an ice core record of carbon isotopic ratios in methane over the entire last glacial-interglacial transition. Our data show that the carbon in atmospheric methane was isotopically much heavier in cold climate periods. With the help of a box model constrained by the present data and previously published results, we are able to estimate the magnitude of past individual methane emission sources and the atmospheric lifetime of methane. We find that methane emissions due to biomass burning were about 45 Tg methane per year, and that these remained roughly constant throughout the glacial termination. The atmospheric lifetime of methane is reduced during cold climate periods. We also show that boreal wetlands are an important source of methane during warm events, but their methane emissions are essentially shut down during cold climate conditions.

References

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Nov 14, 2006·Nature·UNKNOWN EPICA Community Members
May 15, 2008·The New Phytologist·Tom Dueck, Adrie Van Der Werf

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Citations

Feb 15, 2011·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Maria-Judith GonsalvesP A Loka Bharathi
Nov 9, 2010·Ambio·A J DolmanB Strengers
Apr 7, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Miriam C Jones, Zicheng Yu
Mar 4, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Alberto V Reyes, Colin A Cooke
Apr 20, 2011·Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences·Eric W Wolff
Apr 20, 2011·Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences·Edward J DlugokenckyDavid Lowry
Apr 25, 2009·Science·Vasilii V PetrenkoJeffrey P Severinghaus
Apr 25, 2009·Science·E G Nisbet, J Chappellaz
Apr 4, 2014·PloS One·Sergey Zimov, Nikita Zimov
Sep 12, 2014·Nature Communications·Oliver HeiriAndré F Lotter
Feb 4, 2016·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. a·Caleb ArataManvendra K Dubey
Aug 30, 2013·Nature·Dirk NotzMartin Heimann
May 16, 2008·Nature·Laetitia LoulergueJérôme Chappellaz
Nov 21, 2008·Nature·Thomas F Stocker, Adrian Schilt
Aug 25, 2017·Nature·Vasilii V PetrenkoJeffrey P Severinghaus
Feb 5, 2011·Nature·Eric W Wolff
Dec 2, 2011·Nature·Edward A G Schuur, Benjamin Abbott
Oct 11, 2011·Metallomics : Integrated Biometal Science·Christopher L DupontChristopher Rensing
Jul 5, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Michael BockHubertus Fischer
Jun 15, 2018·Nature·Edward J Brook, Christo Buizert
May 3, 2018·Environmental Science & Technology·Chris Pratt, Kevin Tate

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