Advances and trends on soil methane emission in permafrost region

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2023.5.29

Abstract

Abstract:

Soil methane emissions in permafrost regions are integral components of the global carbon cycle and terrestrial ecosystem, playing a pivotal role in the feedback mechanism of carbon sink on climate change, thus warranting focused research in the domain of global climate change. The origins of soil methane emissions in permafrost regions primarily stem from microbial methane production and gas release from frozen soil layers and natural gas hydrates. While research on microbial gas sources is relatively advanced, investigations into methane emissions from frozen soil layers and natural gas hydrate gas sources are still in the qualitative analysis stage. Influential factors such as soil temperature, moisture, water table conditions, organic matter content, surface vegetation conditions, and others can significantly influence various stages of methane production, transport, and oxidation. Modeling stands as the primary approach for evaluating and forecasting soil methane emissions in permafrost regions, encompassing both early statistical models and more recent process models based on the mechanisms of methane emission from soil. Although the synthesis of research on methane emissions from permafrost soils has yielded insights into gas sources and single-factor effects, there remain gaps in the study of multi-source methane emission, particularly concerning methane release from permafrost soil and gas hydrates. Furthermore, the analysis of causal mechanisms and driving forces under multiple factors is lacking in the investigation of influential factors. Comprehensive monitoring research employing diverse methods and factors, such as metagenomic analysis of methane-producing microorganisms and isotope tracing of multi-gas source soil methane emissions, can be integrated with satellite remote sensing and other large-scale observation results to refine process models of methane emissions from permafrost soils. Given that changes in the carbon cycling system of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, revered as the “Third Pole” of the world, will exert significant impacts on climate change in Asia and globally, further exploration of soil methane emissions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is imperative to facilitate the quantitative assessment of regional carbon emissions and advance global climate change research.

Key words: permafrost region, soil methane emission, methane source, influence factor, monitoring method, development trend

CLC Number:

P594

ZHANG Shunyao, SHI Zeming, YANG Zhibin, ZHOU Yalong, ZHANG Fugui, PENG Min. Advances and trends on soil methane emission in permafrost region[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2024, 31(4): 354-365.

Figures/Tables 4

Fig.1 Map of surface temperature and permafrost distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. Temperature data adapted from [13].

Fig.2 Trend of the number of publications and cited frequency of papers on soil methane emission in permafrost region

Fig.3 Schematic diagram of soil methane emission process in permafrost region. Modified after [16].

Table 1 Keywords distribution of influencing factors of soil methane emission in permafrost region

序号	影响因子	文献数	关键词	出现时间
1	土壤温度	126	temperature sensitivity;temperature dependence	1998
2	湿度、水位条件	56	water table;moisture	1998
3	地表植物	89	vegetation;vascular plants	1999
4	有机质含量	101	organic matter;dissolved organic matter;organic carbon	2009
5	其他		permafrost thaw;nitrogen;landscape;soil texture;land-use	2014—2017

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