Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Methane emissions from wetland soils in Southwest-Germany

  • Chapter
Book cover Wetlands in Central Europe

Abstract

The spatial and temporal variability of methane flux was investigated in six wetland soils in southern Germany from July 1996 to July 1998. The objectives of our study were (i) to test the hypothesis if CH4 emissions vary consistently with differences in groundwater level and geomorphic units, (ii) to demonstrate that there is, on a global scale, substantial CH4 emission from wetland soils in temperate-humid climates. Daily emissions of CH4 in these wetland soils ranged from 0 to 85 mg CH4 m-2d-1 (medians), and cumulative yearly emissions differed by two orders of magnitude (0 to 73 g CH4 m-2). There was a non-linear correlation between CH4 emission and both groundwater level and Eh. Both of the latter variables were very well related to soil morphology and classification. We recommended that soil maps may be used for area calculations of the CH4-fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • AG Boden (1994) Bodenkundliche Kartieranleitung. Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe und den Geologischen Landesämtern in der BRD (ed). 47th edn

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambus P, Christensen S (1995) Spatial and seasonal nitrous oxides and methane fluxes in Danish forest-, grassland-, and agroecosystems. J Environ Qual 24: 993–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aselman I, Crutzen PJ (1989) Global distribution of natural freshwater wetlands and rice paddies, their net primary productivity, seasonal and possible methane emissions. J Atmos Chem 8: 307–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Augustin J, Merbach W, Schmidt W, Reining E (1996) Effect of changing temperature and water table on trace gas emission from minerotrophic mires. Angew Bot 70: 45–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett KB, Crill PM, Sebacher D, Harriss RC, Wilson J, Melack J (1988) Methane flux from the central Amazonian floodplain. J Geophys Res 93: 1571–1582

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett KB, Crill PM, Sass RL, Harriss RC, Dise NB (1992) Methane emissions from tundra environmental in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. J Geophy Res 97: 16645–16660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett KB, Harriss RC (1993) Review and assessment of methane emissions from wetlands. Chemosphere 26: 261–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bubier JL, Moore TR, Roulet NT (1993) Methane emissions from wetlands in the midboreal region of Northern Ontario, Canada. Ecology 74: 2240–2254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke RA Jr., Barber TR, Sackett WM (1988) Methane flux and stable hydrogen and carbon isotope composition of sedimentary methane from the Florida Everglades. Global Biogeochem Cycles 2: 329–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conrad R (1989) Control of methane production in terrestrial ecosystems. In: Andreae M, Schimel D (eds) Exchange of trace gases between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere, pp 39–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Corre MD, Pennock DJ, van Kessel C, Elliott DK (1999) Estimation of annual nitrous oxide emissions from a transitional grassland-forest region in Saskatchewan, Canada. Biochemistry 44: 29–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen T (1993) Methane emission from arctic tundra. Biogeochemistry 21: 117–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dise N (1993) Methane emissions from Minnesota peatlands: Spatial and seasonal variability. Global Biogeochem Cycles 7: 123–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DWD (1953) Deutscher Wetterdienst. Klimaatlas Baden-Württemberg. Bad Kissingen

    Google Scholar 

  • Fechner EJ, Hemond HF (1992) Methane transport and oxidation in the unsaturated zone of a Sphagnum peatland. Global Biogeochem Cycles 6: 33–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler S (1997) In-situ-Langzeitmessungen des Redoxpotentials in hydromorphen Böden einer Endmoränenlandschaft im württembergischen Alpenvorland. PhD thesis, University of Hohenheim, Hohenheimer Bodenkdl Hefte 42

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler S, Adam K, Sommer M, Stahr K (1998) CO2- und CH4-Emissionen aus Böden entlang eines Feuchtegradienten im südwestdeutschen Alpenvorland. Mittigen Dtschen Bodenkundl Ges 88: 15–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiedler S, Sommer M (2000) Methane emissions, groundwater table and redox potentials along a gradient of redoximorphic soils in a temperate-humid climate. Global Biogeochem Cycles 14 (4): 1081–1093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flessa H, Wild U, Klemisch M, Pfadenhauer J (1997) C-und N-Stofiilusse auf Torfstichsimulationsflächen im Donaumoos. Z f Kulturt u Landentwicklg 38: 11–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Frolking S, Crill P (1994) Climate controls on temporal variability of methane flux from a poor fen in southeastern New Hampshire: Measurement and modelling. Global Biogeochem Cycles 8: 385–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giani L, Dittrich K, Mansfeld-Hartmann A, Peters G (1996) Methanogenesis in saltmarsh soils of the North Sea Coast of Germany. European J Soil Sci 47: 175–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Groffman PM, Tiedje JM, Robertson GP, Christensen S (1988) Denitrification at different temporal and geographical scales: Proximal and distal controls. In: Wilson JR (ed) Advances in nitrogen cycling in agricultural ecosystems. CAB International, Wallingford. UK, pp 174–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleber M (1997) Carbon exchange in humid grassland soils. PhD thesis, University of Hohenheim, Hohenheimer Bodenkdl Hefte 41

    Google Scholar 

  • Lessard R, Rochette P, Topp E, Pattey E, Desjardins R, Beaumont G (1994) Methane and carbon fluxes from poorly drained adjacent cultivated and forest sites. Can J Soil Sei 74: 139–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liblik LK, Moore TR, Bubier JL, Robinson SD (1997) Methane emissions from wetlands in the zone of discontinuous permafrost: Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada. Global Biogeochem Cycles 11:485–494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merbach W, Augustin J, Kalettka T, Jacob HJ (1996) Nitrous Oxide and methane emissions from riparian area of ponded depressions of Northeast Germany. Angew Bot 70: 134–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore TR, Roulet NT, Knowles R (1990) Spatial and temporal variations of methane flux from subarctic/northern boreal fens. Global Biogeochem Cycles 4: 29–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore TR, Heyes A, Roulet NT (1994) Methane emission from wetlands, southern Hudson Bay lowland. J Geophy Res 99: 1455–1467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moosavi SC, Crill PM, Pullmann ER, Funk DW, Peterson KM (1996) Controls on CH4 flux from an Alaskan boreal wetland. Global Biogeochem Cycles 10: 287–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miiller-Thomsen U, Pfisterer U, Blume H-P (1997) Steuernde Faktoren der Gasfreisetzung von CH4 und N2O in Salzwiese und Watt des Deichvorlandes der schleswig-holsteinschen Nordseeküste. Mittigen Dtschen Bodenkundl Ges 85: 973–976

    Google Scholar 

  • Neue H-U, Sass RL (1994) Trace emissions from rice fields. Environmental Science Res 48: 119–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer E-M (1994) Methane fluxes in natural wetlands (marsh and moor) in Northern Germany. Curr Topics in Wetland Biogeochem 1: 36–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer E-M (1998) Methanfreisetzung aus hydromorphen Böden verschiedener naturnaher und genutzter Feuchtgebiete (Marsch, Moor, Tundra, Reisanbau). Hamburger Bodenkdl Arb 37

    Google Scholar 

  • Rolston DE (1986) Gas flux. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis, pp 1103–1119

    Google Scholar 

  • Roulet NT, R Ash, TR Moore (1992) Low boreal wetlands as a source of atmospheric methane. J Geophy Res 97: 3739–3749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roulet NT, Jano A, Kelly CA, Klinger LF, Moore TR, Protz R, Ritter JA, Rouse WR (1994) Role of the Hudson Bay lowland as a source of atmospheric methane. J Geophy Res 99: 1439–1454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sebacher DI, Harriss RC, Bartlett K, Sebacher SM, Grice SS (1986) Atmospheric methane sources: Alaska tundra bogs, an alpine fen, and subarctic boreal marsh. Tellus 38: 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Shannon RD, White JR, Lawson JE, Gilmour BS (1996) Methane efflux from emergent vegetation in peatlands. J Ecology 84: 239–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soil Survey Staff (1998) Keys of soil taxonomy, 8th edn, http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/keytax

    Google Scholar 

  • Svensson BH, Rosswall T (1984) In situ methane production from acid peat in plant communities with different moisture regimes in a subarctic mire. Oikos 43: 341–350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valentine DW, Holland EA, Schimel DS (1994) Ecosystem and physiological controls over methane production in northern wetlands. J Geophy Res 99: 1563–15741

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vourlitis GL, Oechel WC (1997) The role of northern ecosystems in the global methane budget. In: Oechel WC (ed) Global change and arctic terrestrial ecosystems. Ecological Studies 124: 267–289

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Waddington JM, Roulet NT (1996) Atmosphere-wetland carbon exchanges: Scale dependency of CO2 and CH4 exchange on the developmental topography of a peatland. Global Biogeochem Cycles 10: 233–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whalen SC, Reeburgh WS (1988) A methane flux time series for tundra environments. Global Biogeochem Cycles 2: 399–409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whalen SC, Reeburgh WS (1992) Interannual variations in tundra methane emission: a 4-year time series at fixed sites. Global Biogeochem Cycles 6: 139–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whalen SC, Reeburgh WS, Reimers CE (1996) Control of tundra methane emission by microbial oxidation. In: Reynolds JF, Tenhunen JD (eds) Landscape function and disturbance in arctic tundra. Ecological Studies 120, pp 257–274

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Michael Sommer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sabine Fiedler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geoecology (ISPA), University of Vechta, Driverstraße 22, 49377, Vechta, Germany

    Gabriele Broll

  2. Institute of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Adam-Kuckhoff-Str. 17B, 06108, Halle (Saale), Germany

    Wolfgang Merbach

  3. Institute of Soil Science, Allende-Platz 2, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Eva-Maria Pfeiffer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sommer, M., Fiedler, S. (2002). Methane emissions from wetland soils in Southwest-Germany. In: Broll, G., Merbach, W., Pfeiffer, EM. (eds) Wetlands in Central Europe. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-05054-5_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-05054-5_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-07795-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-05054-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation