Separating natural from human enhanced methane emissions in headwater streams

Yizhu Zhu, J. Iwan Jones, Adrian L. Collins, Yusheng Zhang, Louise Olde, Lorenzo Rovelli, John F. Murphy, Catherine M. Heppell and Mark Trimmer ()
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Yizhu Zhu: Queen Mary University of London
J. Iwan Jones: Queen Mary University of London
Adrian L. Collins: Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton
Yusheng Zhang: Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton
Louise Olde: Queen Mary University of London
Lorenzo Rovelli: University of Koblenz-Landau
John F. Murphy: Queen Mary University of London
Catherine M. Heppell: Queen Mary University of London
Mark Trimmer: Queen Mary University of London

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Headwater streams are natural sources of methane but are suffering severe anthropogenic disturbance, particularly land use change and climate warming. The widespread intensification of agriculture since the 1940s has increased the export of fine sediments from land to streams, but systematic assessment of their effects on stream methane is lacking. Here we show that excess fine sediment delivery is widespread in UK streams (n = 236) and, set against a pre-1940s baseline, has markedly increased streambed organic matter (23 to 100 g m−2), amplified streambed methane production and ultimately tripled methane emissions (0.2 to 0.7 mmol CH4 m−2 d−1, n = 29). While streambed methane production responds strongly to organic matter, we estimate the effect of the approximate 0.7 °C of warming since the 1940s to be comparatively modest. By separating natural from human enhanced methane emissions we highlight how catchment management targeting the delivery of excess fine sediment could mitigate stream methane emissions by some 70%.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31559-y

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