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Recent methane surges reveal heightened emissions from tropical inundated areas

Author

Listed:
  • Xin Lin

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Shushi Peng

    (Peking University)

  • Philippe Ciais

    (Université Paris-Saclay
    The Cyprus Institute)

  • Didier Hauglustaine

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Xin Lan

    (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences of University of Colorado
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

  • Gang Liu

    (Peking University)

  • Michel Ramonet

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Yi Xi

    (Université Paris-Saclay
    Peking University)

  • Yi Yin

    (New York University)

  • Zhen Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hartmut Bösch

    (University of Bremen)

  • Philippe Bousquet

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Frédéric Chevallier

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Bogang Dong

    (Peking University)

  • Cynthia Gerlein-Safdi

    (University of California)

  • Santanu Halder

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Robert J. Parker

    (University of Leicester
    University of Leicester)

  • Benjamin Poulter

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

  • Tianjiao Pu

    (University of California)

  • Marine Remaud

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Alexandra Runge

    (Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Marielle Saunois

    (Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Rona L. Thompson

    (NILU)

  • Yukio Yoshida

    (National Institute for Environmental Studies)

  • Bo Zheng

    (Tsinghua University
    State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex)

Abstract

Record breaking atmospheric methane growth rates were observed in 2020 and 2021 (15.2±0.5 and 17.8±0.5 parts per billion per year), the highest since the early 1980s. Here we use an ensemble of atmospheric inversions informed by surface or satellite methane observations to infer emission changes during these two years relative to 2019. Results show global methane emissions increased by 20.3±9.9 and 24.8±3.1 teragrams per year in 2020 and 2021, dominated by heightened emissions from tropical and boreal inundated areas, aligning with rising groundwater storage and regional warming. Current process-based wetland models fail to capture the tropical emission surges revealed by atmospheric inversions, likely due to inaccurate representation of wetland extents and associated methane emissions. Our findings underscore the critical role of tropical inundated areas in the recent methane emission surges and highlight the need to integrate multiple data streams and modeling tools for better constraining tropical wetland emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Xin Lin & Shushi Peng & Philippe Ciais & Didier Hauglustaine & Xin Lan & Gang Liu & Michel Ramonet & Yi Xi & Yi Yin & Zhen Zhang & Hartmut Bösch & Philippe Bousquet & Frédéric Chevallier & Bogang Dong, 2024. "Recent methane surges reveal heightened emissions from tropical inundated areas," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-55266-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55266-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Liang Feng & Paul I. Palmer & Sihong Zhu & Robert J. Parker & Yi Liu, 2022. "Tropical methane emissions explain large fraction of recent changes in global atmospheric methane growth rate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Sunitha R. Pangala & Alex Enrich-Prast & Luana S. Basso & Roberta Bittencourt Peixoto & David Bastviken & Edward R. C. Hornibrook & Luciana V. Gatti & Humberto Marotta & Luana Silva Braucks Calazans &, 2017. "Large emissions from floodplain trees close the Amazon methane budget," Nature, Nature, vol. 552(7684), pages 230-234, December.
    4. Yi Xi & Shushi Peng & Philippe Ciais & Youhua Chen, 2021. "Future impacts of climate change on inland Ramsar wetlands," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 45-51, January.
    5. Kunxiaojia Yuan & Fa Li & Gavin McNicol & Min Chen & Alison Hoyt & Sara Knox & William J. Riley & Robert Jackson & Qing Zhu, 2024. "Boreal–Arctic wetland methane emissions modulated by warming and vegetation activity," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 14(3), pages 282-288, March.
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