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Changing boreal methane sources and constant biomass burning during the last termination

Author

Listed:
  • Hubertus Fischer

    (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstrasse, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany)

  • Melanie Behrens

    (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstrasse, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany)

  • Michael Bock

    (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstrasse, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany)

  • Ulrike Richter

    (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstrasse, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany)

  • Jochen Schmitt

    (Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Columbusstrasse, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany)

  • Laetitia Loulergue

    (Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique de l’Environnement, CNRS-UJF, 54 rue Molière, 38400 Grenoble, France)

  • Jerome Chappellaz

    (Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique de l’Environnement, CNRS-UJF, 54 rue Molière, 38400 Grenoble, France)

  • Renato Spahni

    (Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland)

  • Thomas Blunier

    (Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
    Present address: Centre for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark.)

  • Markus Leuenberger

    (Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland)

  • Thomas F. Stocker

    (Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland)

Abstract

A history of biomass burning An EPICA ice core drilled in Dronning Maud Land in Antarctica has been used to derive a record of carbon isotopic ratios in methane over the entire last glacial–interglacial transition. The data show that the carbon in atmospheric methane is isotopically much heavier in cold climate periods. Biomass burning is the only natural source of methane strongly enriched in carbon-13, and the combination of δ13CH4 data with earlier results and box modelling suggest that methane emissions due to biomass burning remained approximately constant throughout the glacial termination, that the atmospheric lifetime of methane is reduced during cold climate periods and that wetlands are an important source of methane during warming events.

Suggested Citation

  • Hubertus Fischer & Melanie Behrens & Michael Bock & Ulrike Richter & Jochen Schmitt & Laetitia Loulergue & Jerome Chappellaz & Renato Spahni & Thomas Blunier & Markus Leuenberger & Thomas F. Stocker, 2008. "Changing boreal methane sources and constant biomass burning during the last termination," Nature, Nature, vol. 452(7189), pages 864-867, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:452:y:2008:i:7189:d:10.1038_nature06825
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06825
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    Cited by:

    1. Jing Song, 2023. "Ice Core Methane Analytical Techniques, Chronology and Concentration History Changes: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, June.
    2. E. Schuur & B. Abbott & W. Bowden & V. Brovkin & P. Camill & J. Canadell & J. Chanton & F. Chapin & T. Christensen & P. Ciais & B. Crosby & C. Czimczik & G. Grosse & J. Harden & D. Hayes & G. Hugelius, 2013. "Expert assessment of vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 119(2), pages 359-374, July.

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