Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings

<p>A 58&thinsp;ha mixed upland and lowland boreal plains watershed called the Sandhill Fen Watershed was constructed between 2008 and 2012. In the years following wetting in 2013, methane emissions were measured using manual chambers. The presence of vegetation with aerenchymous tissues an...

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Main Authors: M. G. Clark, E. R. Humphreys, S. K. Carey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2020-02-01
Series:Biogeosciences
Online Access:https://www.biogeosciences.net/17/667/2020/bg-17-667-2020.pdf
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author M. G. Clark
M. G. Clark
E. R. Humphreys
S. K. Carey
author_facet M. G. Clark
M. G. Clark
E. R. Humphreys
S. K. Carey
author_sort M. G. Clark
collection DOAJ
description <p>A 58&thinsp;ha mixed upland and lowland boreal plains watershed called the Sandhill Fen Watershed was constructed between 2008 and 2012. In the years following wetting in 2013, methane emissions were measured using manual chambers. The presence of vegetation with aerenchymous tissues and saturated soils were important factors influencing the spatial variability of methane emissions across the constructed watershed. Nevertheless, median methane emissions were equal to or less than 0.51&thinsp;mg&thinsp;<span class="inline-formula">CH<sub>4</sub></span>&thinsp;m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−2</sup></span>&thinsp;h<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> even from the saturated organic soils in the lowlands. Although overall methane emissions remained low, observations of methane ebullition increased over the 3 study years. Ebullition events occurred in 10&thinsp;% of measurements in 2013, increasing to 21&thinsp;% and 27&thinsp;% of measurements in 2014 and 2015, respectively, at the plots with saturated soils. Increasing metal ion availability and decreasing sulfur availability was measured using buried ion exchange resins at both seasonal and annual timescales potentially as a result of microbial reduction of these ions. Using principle component analysis, methane fluxes had a significant positive correlation to the leading principle component which was associated with increasing ammonium, iron, and manganese and decreasing sulfur availability (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i>=0.31</span>, <span class="inline-formula"><i>p</i>&lt;0.001</span>). These results suggest that an abundance of alternative inorganic electron acceptors may be limiting methanogenesis at this time.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-90cebda7d1914a6a847613be2b35c35a2022-12-21T22:25:30ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892020-02-011766768210.5194/bg-17-667-2020Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailingsM. G. Clark0M. G. Clark1E. R. Humphreys2S. K. Carey3Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, CanadaSchool of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, CanadaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, CanadaSchool of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada<p>A 58&thinsp;ha mixed upland and lowland boreal plains watershed called the Sandhill Fen Watershed was constructed between 2008 and 2012. In the years following wetting in 2013, methane emissions were measured using manual chambers. The presence of vegetation with aerenchymous tissues and saturated soils were important factors influencing the spatial variability of methane emissions across the constructed watershed. Nevertheless, median methane emissions were equal to or less than 0.51&thinsp;mg&thinsp;<span class="inline-formula">CH<sub>4</sub></span>&thinsp;m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−2</sup></span>&thinsp;h<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> even from the saturated organic soils in the lowlands. Although overall methane emissions remained low, observations of methane ebullition increased over the 3 study years. Ebullition events occurred in 10&thinsp;% of measurements in 2013, increasing to 21&thinsp;% and 27&thinsp;% of measurements in 2014 and 2015, respectively, at the plots with saturated soils. Increasing metal ion availability and decreasing sulfur availability was measured using buried ion exchange resins at both seasonal and annual timescales potentially as a result of microbial reduction of these ions. Using principle component analysis, methane fluxes had a significant positive correlation to the leading principle component which was associated with increasing ammonium, iron, and manganese and decreasing sulfur availability (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i>=0.31</span>, <span class="inline-formula"><i>p</i>&lt;0.001</span>). These results suggest that an abundance of alternative inorganic electron acceptors may be limiting methanogenesis at this time.</p>https://www.biogeosciences.net/17/667/2020/bg-17-667-2020.pdf
spellingShingle M. G. Clark
M. G. Clark
E. R. Humphreys
S. K. Carey
Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
Biogeosciences
title Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
title_full Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
title_fullStr Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
title_full_unstemmed Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
title_short Low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
title_sort low methane emissions from a boreal wetland constructed on oil sand mine tailings
url https://www.biogeosciences.net/17/667/2020/bg-17-667-2020.pdf
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