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08:18
Design and Use of a Full Flow Sampling System (FFS) for the Quantification of Methane Emissions
Published on: June 12, 2016
Emission of methane from plants
R E R Nisbet1, R Fisher, R H Nimmo
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK. rern2@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|January 15, 2009
Summary
Plants do not produce methane through a novel biochemical pathway. Methane release from plants is attributed to UV-induced breakdown and transpiration of dissolved methane, not biological methanogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Biogeochemistry
- Plant Physiology
- Atmospheric Science
Background:
- Previous research suggested plants could produce methane via an unknown biochemical pathway.
- This proposed methanogenesis in aerobic settings was estimated to be a significant global methane source (10-45%).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the proposed biochemical pathway for methane production in plants.
- To clarify the sources of methane emissions observed from plants.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of plant biochemical pathways for methane synthesis.
- Controlled experiments simulating UV stress and transpiration.
- Re-analysis of global methane data using satellite retrievals.
Main Results:
- No known biochemical pathway for methane synthesis was identified in plants.
- Methane release can occur due to spontaneous breakdown of plant material under high UV stress.
- Plants uptake and transpire water containing dissolved methane, contributing to observed emissions.
Conclusions:
- Plants are not a significant source of global methane production.
- Observed methane emissions from plants are explained by abiotic processes and gas exchange, not biological methanogenesis.
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