Consumption of atmospheric methane by desert soils

Robert G. Striegl; T.A. McConnaughey; D.C. Thorstenson; E.P. Weeks; J.C. Woodward

doi:10.1038/357145a0

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Consumption of atmospheric methane by desert soils

Robert G. Striegl·T.A. McConnaughey·D.C. Thorstenson·E.P. Weeks·J.C. Woodward

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Abstract

Atmospheric concentrations of methane, a greenhouse gas, are increasing at a rate of about 1% yr -1 (refs 1–4). Oxidation by methylotrophic bacteria in soil is the largest terrestrial sink for atmospheric CH 4 , and is estimated to consume about 30 x 10 12 g CH 4 yr -1 (refs 4–6). Spatial and temporal variability in the rate of soil CH 4 consumption are incompletely understood 6–19 , as are the apparent inhibitory 12,13,18 or enhancing 20 effects of changes in land use. Dry deserts, which constitute 20% of total land surface, are not currently included in global soil uptake estimates. Here we describe measurements of the rate of uptake of atmospheric CH 4 by undisturbed desert soils. We observed rates as great as 4.38 mg CH 4 m -2 day -1 ; 50% of the measured rates were between 0.24 and 0.92 mg CH 4 m -2 d -1 . Uptake of CH 4 by desert soil is enhanced by rainfall after an initial soil-drainage period—opposite to the response of temperate forest soils 12 . Methane is consumed to a depth of about 2 m, allowing for deep removal of atmospheric CH 4 if near-surface conditions are unfavourable for consumption. On the basis of an annual average CH 4 consumption rate of 0.66 mg CH 4 m -2 d -1 , we estimate that the global CH 4 sink term needs to be increased by about 7 x 10 12 g yr -1 to account for the contribution of desert soils.

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Source-reported bounding extent: 36.8839613410144° to 38.02307435297641° latitude; -117.60580139649738° to -115.62064804162318° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Robert G. Striegl, T.A. McConnaughey, D.C. Thorstenson, E.P. Weeks, J.C. Woodward. 1992. Consumption of atmospheric methane by desert soils. https://doi.org/10.1038/357145a0

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