No evidence for substantial aerobic methane emission by terrestrial plants: a super(13)C-labelling approach

The results of a single publication stating that terrestrial plants emit methane has sparked a discussion in several scientific journals, but an independent test has not yet been performed.Here it is shown, with the use of the stable isotope super(13)C and a laser-based measuring technique, that the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New phytologist 2007-07, Vol.175 (1), p.29-35
Main Authors: Dueck, Tom A, de Visser, Ries, Poorter, Hendrik, Persijn, Stefan, Gorissen, Antonie, de Visser, Willem, Schapendonk, Ad, Verhagen, Jan, Snel, Jan, Harren, Frans JM, Ngai, Anthony KY, Verstappen, Francel, Bouwmeester, Harro, Voesenek, Laurentius ACJ, van der Werf, Adrie
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The results of a single publication stating that terrestrial plants emit methane has sparked a discussion in several scientific journals, but an independent test has not yet been performed.Here it is shown, with the use of the stable isotope super(13)C and a laser-based measuring technique, that there is no evidence for substantial aerobic methane emission by terrestrial plants, maximally 0.3% (0.4 ng g super(-1) h super(-1)) of the previously published values.Data presented here indicate that the contribution of terrestrial plants to global methane emission is very small at best.Therefore, a revision of carbon sequestration accounting practices based on the earlier reported contribution of methane from terrestrial vegetation is redundant.
ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02103.x