Effects of an Experimental Water-level Drawdown on Methane Emissions from a Eutrophic Reservoir.

ABSTRACT: Reservoirs are a globally significant source of methane (CH₄) to the atmosphere. However, emission rate estimates may be biased low due to inadequate monitoring during brief periods of elevated emission rates (that is, hot moments). Here we investigate CH₄ bubbling (that is, ebullition) during periods of falling water levels in a eutrophic reservoir in the Midwestern USA. We hypothesized that periods of water-level decline trigger the release of CH₄-rich bubbles from the sediments and that these emissions constitute a substantial fraction of the annual CH₄ flux. We explored this hypothesis by monitoring CH₄ ebullition in a eutrophic reservoir over a 7-month period, which included an experimental water-level drawdown. We found that the

SUBMITTER: Beaulieu JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6445499 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature