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Natural methyl bromide and methyl chloride emissions from coastal salt marshes

Author

Listed:
  • Robert C. Rhew

    (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego)

  • Benjamin R. Miller

    (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego)

  • Ray F. Weiss

    (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego)

Abstract

Atmospheric methyl bromide (CH3Br) and methyl chloride (CH3Cl), compounds that are involved in stratospheric ozone depletion, originate from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Current estimates of CH3Br and CH3Cl emissions from oceanic sources, terrestrial plants and fungi, biomass burning and anthropogenic inputs do not balance their losses owing to oxidation by hydroxyl radicals, oceanic degradation, and consumption in soils, suggesting that additional natural terrestrial sources may be important1. Here we show that CH3Br and CH3Cl are released to the atmosphere from all vegetation zones of two coastal salt marshes. We see very large fluxes of CH3Br and CH3Cl per unit area: up to 42 and 570 µmol m-2 d-1, respectively. The fluxes show large diurnal, seasonal and spatial variabilities, but there is a strong correlation between the fluxes of CH3Br and those of CH3Cl, with an average molar flux ratio of roughly 1:20. If our measurements are typical of salt marshes globally, they suggest that such ecosystems, even though they constitute less than 0.1% of the global surface area2, may produce roughly 10% of the total fluxes of atmospheric CH3Br and CH3Cl.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert C. Rhew & Benjamin R. Miller & Ray F. Weiss, 2000. "Natural methyl bromide and methyl chloride emissions from coastal salt marshes," Nature, Nature, vol. 403(6767), pages 292-295, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:403:y:2000:i:6767:d:10.1038_35002043
    DOI: 10.1038/35002043
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    Cited by:

    1. S.T. Forczek & F. Laturnus & J. Doležalová & J. Holík & Z. Wimmer, 2015. "Emission of climate relevant volatile organochlorines by plants occurring in temperate forests," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 61(3), pages 103-108.
    2. Xiaoyi Hu & Bo Yao & Jens Mühle & Robert C. Rhew & Paul J. Fraser & Simon O’Doherty & Ronald G. Prinn & Xuekun Fang, 2024. "Unexplained high and persistent methyl bromide emissions in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Hui Liu & Tong Tong & Yingying Pu & Bing Sun & Xiaomei Zhu & Zhiyu Yan, 2020. "Insight Into the Formation Paths of Methyl Bromide From Syringic Acid in Aqueous Bromide Solutions Under Simulated Sunlight Irradiation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-12, March.
    4. Hui Liu & Yingying Pu & Tong Tong & Xiaomei Zhu & Bing Sun & Xiaoxing Zhang, 2020. "Photochemical Generation of Methyl Chloride from Humic Aicd: Impacts of Precursor Concentration, Solution pH, Solution Salinity and Ferric Ion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-13, January.

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