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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Assessment of Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes from Paddy Field by Means of Static Closed Chambers Maintaining Plants Within Headspace
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Methane emissions from upland forest soils and vegetation.

J Patrick Megonigal1, Alex B Guenther

  • 1Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037-0028, USA. megonigalp@si.edu

Tree Physiology
|February 5, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Upland ecosystems, often assumed dry, can emit methane (CH(4)). Plant physiology significantly influences CH(4) cycling in forests, with some switching from sinks to sources based on soil moisture.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Soil Science
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Wetlands are primary focus for methane (CH(4)) emissions research, despite upland ecosystems covering larger areas.
  • Upland ecosystems are generally considered atmospheric CH(4) sinks due to higher consumption rates than production.
  • CH(4) production in upland soils, particularly forest soils, occurs in localized microsites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review CH(4) production and emissions in upland ecosystems.
  • To investigate the influence of plant physiology on CH(4) cycling in forest soils.
  • To highlight knowledge gaps in understanding CH(4) sources in upland systems, especially tropical forests.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of CH(4) production and emissions in upland ecosystems.

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  • Analysis of the role of plant physiology in modifying soil conditions for CH(4) cycling.
  • Examination of factors influencing the switch between CH(4) sink and source behavior in forests.

    • Main Results:

    • Upland soils can produce CH(4) in microsites, and some forests transition from CH(4) sinks to sources.
    • Plant physiology impacts CH(4) cycling by altering soil electron donor (organic carbon) and acceptor (O(2)) availability.
    • A potential abiotic CH(4) production from plant tissue requires further verification but could be relevant for greenhouse gas accounting.

    Conclusions:

    • Upland ecosystems, particularly forest soils, are more dynamic in CH(4) cycling than previously assumed.
    • Plant physiological responses to soil water content are critical drivers of CH(4) emissions from forests.
    • Current understanding of upland CH(4) sources is incomplete, necessitating further research, especially in tropical forest ecosystems.