Abstract

Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane entering the atmosphere, yet there are still uncertainties in the magnitude of these emissions due to the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of methane production and transport processes. One process by which methane can be emitted to the atmosphere from wetlands is through plant‐mediated transport—the diffusion of methane through plant tissue. The objective of my project was to determine how methane emissions vary depending on the plant species composition at Sallie’s Fen in Barrington, New Hampshire. I used static flux chambers to measure methane emissions at six locations across the fen. I used quadrat sampling to determine species composition. Aerial photography and a geographic information system in combination with transect quadrat sampling were used to create a vegetation map of the entire site. The combination of methane emission data and species composition allowed for scaling of emissions across the entirety of the fen. Overall, this project furthers our understanding of complex wetland ecosystems and their relation to methane, a radiatively important greenhouse gas.

Publication Date

Spring 4-2019

Series

UNH Undergraduate Research Journal

Journal Title

Inquiry Journal

Mentor

Ruth K. Varner

Publisher

Durham, NH: Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research, University of New Hampshire

Document Type

Article

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