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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Global atmospheric methane uptake by upland tree woody surfaces
AU - Gauci, Vincent
AU - Pangala, Sunitha Rao
AU - Shenkin, Alexander
AU - Barba, Josep
AU - Bastviken, David
AU - Figueiredo, Viviane
AU - Gomez, Carla
AU - Enrich-Prast, Alex
AU - Sayer, Emma
AU - Stauffer, Tainá
AU - Welch, Bertie
AU - Elias, Dafydd
AU - McNamara, Niall
AU - Allen, Myles
AU - Malhi, Yadvinder
PY - 2024/7/25
Y1 - 2024/7/25
N2 - Methane is an important greenhouse gas1, but the role of trees in the methane budget remains uncertain2. Although it has been shown that wetland and some upland trees can emit soil-derived methane at the stem base3, 4, it has also been suggested that upland trees can serve as a net sink for atmospheric methane5, 6. Here we examine in situ woody surface methane exchange of upland tropical, temperate and boreal forest trees. We find that methane uptake on woody surfaces, in particular at and above about 2 m above the forest floor, can dominate the net ecosystem contribution of trees, resulting in a net tree methane sink. Stable carbon isotope measurement of methane in woody surface chamber air and process-level investigations on extracted wood cores are consistent with methanotrophy, suggesting a microbially mediated drawdown of methane on and in tree woody surfaces and tissues. By applying terrestrial laser scanning-derived allometry to quantify global forest tree woody surface area, a preliminary first estimate suggests that trees may contribute 24.6–49.9 Tg of atmospheric methane uptake globally. Our findings indicate that the climate benefits of tropical and temperate forest protection and reforestation may be greater than previously assumed.
AB - Methane is an important greenhouse gas1, but the role of trees in the methane budget remains uncertain2. Although it has been shown that wetland and some upland trees can emit soil-derived methane at the stem base3, 4, it has also been suggested that upland trees can serve as a net sink for atmospheric methane5, 6. Here we examine in situ woody surface methane exchange of upland tropical, temperate and boreal forest trees. We find that methane uptake on woody surfaces, in particular at and above about 2 m above the forest floor, can dominate the net ecosystem contribution of trees, resulting in a net tree methane sink. Stable carbon isotope measurement of methane in woody surface chamber air and process-level investigations on extracted wood cores are consistent with methanotrophy, suggesting a microbially mediated drawdown of methane on and in tree woody surfaces and tissues. By applying terrestrial laser scanning-derived allometry to quantify global forest tree woody surface area, a preliminary first estimate suggests that trees may contribute 24.6–49.9 Tg of atmospheric methane uptake globally. Our findings indicate that the climate benefits of tropical and temperate forest protection and reforestation may be greater than previously assumed.
U2 - 10.1038/s41586-024-07592-w
DO - 10.1038/s41586-024-07592-w
M3 - Journal article
VL - 631
SP - 796
EP - 800
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 0028-0836
IS - 8022
ER -