Assessing Methane Emissions From Tropical Wetlands: Uncertainties From Natural Variability and Drivers at the Global Scale

Methane (CH4) emissions from tropical wetlands represent half of the global wetland emissions, but uncertainties remain concerning the extent of tropical methane sources. One limitation is to conceive tropical wetlands as a single ecosystem, especially in global land surface models. We estimate CH4 emissions and assess their environmental and anthropogenic drivers. We created a data set with 101 studies involving 328-point measurements, classified the sites into four wetland types, and included relevant biological and environmental information. We estimate the global CH4 emission rate from tropical wetlands as 35 (5-160) mg CH4 m-2 d-1 (median, first and third quartile) and an annual global rate of 94 (56, 158) Tg y-1. Fluxes differed among the wetland types, but except for anthropogenic factors, significant environmental drivers at the global scale could not be quantitatively identified because of high flux variability, even within wetland types. Coastal wetlands generate median emissions of 12 (5-23) Tg y-1. Inland deep-water wetlands emit 53 (32-114) Tg y-1, with highly variable areal extent. Emissions from inland shallow-water wetlands are 52 (33-78) Tg y-1 with variation due to seasonal changes in water table level. Human-made wetlands emit 17 (10-4) Tg y-1. Pollution and N inputs from agriculture are significant anthropogenic drivers of emissions from tropical wetlands. Specific drivers of change need to be considered according to wetland type when estimating global emissions as well as their specific vulnerability to global change. Additionally, these differences should be considered when implementing wetland management practices aimed at decreasing methane emissions. Median global CH4 emissions from tropical wetlands are 94 (56-158) Tg y-1Variability in flux measurements affects the significance of environmental drivers across wetland types at the global scaleThere is an increasing trend in CH4 emissions from certain tropical wetlands driven by anthropogenic factors

Automated summary

A study found that methane emissions from tropical wetlands account for half of global wetland emissions, with uncertainties regarding the extent of tropical methane sources. The global annual methane emission rate from tropical wetlands was estimated to be 94 (56, 158) Tg y-1, with variations among wetland types and uncertainties.