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Peng H, Nijp JJ, Ratcliffe JL, Li C, Hong B, Lidberg W, Zeng M, Mauquoy D, Bishop K, Nilsson MB. Climatic controls on the dynamic lateral expansion of northern peatlands and its potential implication for the 'anomalous' atmospheric CH 4 rise since the mid-Holocene. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168450. [PMID: 37967626 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the dynamic changes in peatland area during the Holocene is essential for unraveling the connections between northern peatland development and global carbon budgets. However, studies investigating the centennial to millennial-scale process of peatland expansion and its climate and environmental drivers are still limited. In this study, we present a reconstruction of the peatland area and lateral peatland expansion rate of a peatland complex in northern Sweden since the mid-Holocene, based on Ground Penetrating Radar measurements of peat thickness supported by radiocarbon (14C) dates from four peat cores. Based on this analysis, lateral expansion of the peatland followed a northwest-southeast directionality, constrained by the undulating post-glacial topography. The areal extent of peat has increased non-linearly since the mid-Holocene, and the peatland lateral expansion rate has generally been on the rise, with intensified expansion occurring after around 3500 cal yr BP. Abrupt declines in lateral expansion rates were synchronized with the decreases in total solar irradiance superimposed on the millennial ice-rafted debris events in the northern high latitudes. Supported by the temporal evolution of peatland extent in four other Fennoscandian peatlands, it appears that the northern peatland areal extent during the early to middle Holocene was much smaller compared to previous empirical model reconstructions based on basal age compilations. Interestingly, our reconstruction shows the increments of peat area since the mid-Holocene coincide with the rise in atmospheric CH4 concentration, and that abrupt variations in atmospheric CH4 on decadal to centennial timescales could be synchronized with peatland lateral expansion rates. Based on our analysis we put forward the hypothesis that lateral expansion of northern peatlands is a significant driver of dynamics in the late Holocene atmospheric CH4 budget. We strongly urge for more empirical data to quantify lateral expansion rates and test such hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijun Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 550081 Guiyang, China; Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Jelmer J Nijp
- KWR Water Research Institute, Ecohydrology Group, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Wageningen University, Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Joshua L Ratcliffe
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Chuxian Li
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Bing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 550081 Guiyang, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Quaternary Science and Global Change, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - William Lidberg
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mengxiu Zeng
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Dmitri Mauquoy
- School Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, AB24 3UF, Scotland, UK
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala 12, Sweden
| | - Mats B Nilsson
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
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Chauhan A, Gupta SK, Liou YA. Rising surface ozone due to anthropogenic activities and its impact on COVID-19 related deaths in Delhi, India. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14975. [PMID: 37035357 PMCID: PMC10060016 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapidity and global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic have left several vital questions in the research community requiring coordinated investigation and unique perspectives to explore the relationship between the spread of disease and air quality. Previous studies have focused mainly on the relation of particulate matter concentration with COVID-19-related mortalities. In contrast, surficial ozone has not been given much attention as surface ozone is a primary air pollutant and directly impacts the respiratory system of humans. Hence, we analyzed the relationship between surface ozone pollution and COVID-19-related mortalities. In this study, we have analyzed the variability of various atmospheric pollutants (particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Carbon monoxide (CO), and Ozone) in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India during 2020-2021 using station data and investigated the relationship of the air-quality parameters with the COVID-19 related deaths. In northern parts of India, the concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Carbon monoxide (CO), and Ozone remain high during the pre- and post-monsoon seasons due to dust loading and crop residue burning (after winter wheat in April & summer rice in November). The westerly wind brings the polluted airmass from western and northwestern parts to Delhi and National Capital Region during April-June and October-November, and meteorological conditions help raise the concentration of these pollutants. Due to long solar hours and high CO concentrations, the ozone concentration is higher from April to June and September. While comparing major air quality parameters with COVID-19-related deaths, we found a good relationship between surface ozone and COVID-19 mortality in Delhi. We also observed a time lag relationship between ozone concentration and mortality in Delhi, so the exposure to Ozone in a large population of Delhi may have augmented the rise of COVID-19-related deaths. The analysis suggested that ozone has a significant relationship with COVID-19 related mortality in Delhi in comparison to other parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshansha Chauhan
- Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Sharad Kumar Gupta
- Advanced Geospatial Application Group, Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, Ludhiana, India
| | - Yuei-An Liou
- Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Corresponding author.
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3
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Liu S, Liu K, Wang K, Chen X, Wu K. Fossil-Fuel and Food Systems Equally Dominate Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:2495-2505. [PMID: 36719139 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding fossil-fuel/food production and consumption patterns is the first step toward reducing the climate impacts of associated methane (CH4) emissions but remains unclear in China. Here, based on the bottom-up method, whole-industrial-chain CH4 emission in China (CH4-CHINA) is developed to track CH4 emissions from production to use and finally to disposal. The estimated Chinese national CH4 emissions in 2020 are 39288.3 Gg (25,230.8-53,345.7 Gg), with 50.4 and 49.6% emissions generated from fossil-fuel and food systems, respectively. ∼130,000 point sources are included to achieve a highly resolved inventory of CH4 emissions, which account for ∼53.5% of the total anthropogenic CH4 emissions in 2020. Our estimate is 36% lower than the Chinese inventory reported to the UNFCCC and 40% lower than EDGAR v6.0, mainly driven by lower emissions from rice cultivation, waste management, and coal supply chain in this study. Based on the emission flow, we observe that previous studies ignored the emissions from natural gas vehicles and residential appliances, coke production, municipal solid waste predisposal, septic tanks, biogas digesters, and food sewage treatment, which totally contribute ∼12.4% of the national anthropogenic CH4 emissions. The results discussed in this study provide critical insights to design and formulate effective CH4 emission mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou570228, China
| | - Kaiyun Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Kun Wang
- Institute of Urban Safety and Environmental Science, Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, Beijing100054, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao266100, China
| | - Xingcai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou570228, China
| | - Kai Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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4
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Lambert T. Byzantine Empire Economic Growth: Did Past Climate Change Play a Role? HUMAN ECOLOGY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL 2022; 50:803-816. [PMID: 35966375 PMCID: PMC9362599 DOI: 10.1007/s10745-022-00343-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Different chronicles of the Byzantine Empire's history have noted various economic data gleaned from historical documents and accounts of the Empire's existence. I provide conjectures on approximate real GDP per capita for the Empire over its existence from AD 300 to 1453. I use these to investigate whether climate forcing variables are associated with real GDP per capita fluctuations. Some hypotheses on factors that would have affected Byzantine economic performance are tested using climate/environmental factors in time series regression. The results support and confirm some findings on how the Byzantine economy may have been affected by periods of regional climate change. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10745-022-00343-3.
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Zhang (张臻) Z, Poulter B, Knox S, Stavert A, McNicol G, Fluet-Chouinard E, Feinberg A, Zhao (赵园红) Y, Bousquet P, Canadell JG, Ganesan A, Hugelius G, Hurtt G, Jackson RB, Patra PK, Saunois M, Höglund-Isaksson L, Huang (黄春林) C, Chatterjee A, Li (李新) X. Anthropogenic emission is the main contributor to the rise of atmospheric methane during 1993–2017. Natl Sci Rev 2021; 9:nwab200. [PMID: 35547958 PMCID: PMC9084358 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwab200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric methane (CH4) concentrations have shown a puzzling resumption in growth since 2007 following a period of stabilization from 2000 to 2006. Multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain the temporal variations in CH4 growth, and attribute the rise of atmospheric CH4 either to increases in emissions from fossil fuel activities, agriculture and natural wetlands, or to a decrease in the atmospheric chemical sink. Here, we use a comprehensive ensemble of CH4 source estimates and isotopic δ13C-CH4 source signature data to show that the resumption of CH4 growth is most likely due to increased anthropogenic emissions. Our emission scenarios that have the fewest biases with respect to isotopic composition suggest that the agriculture, landfill and waste sectors were responsible for 53 ± 13% of the renewed growth over the period 2007–2017 compared to 2000–2006; industrial fossil fuel sources explained an additional 34 ± 24%, and wetland sources contributed the least at 13 ± 9%. The hypothesis that a large increase in emissions from natural wetlands drove the decrease in atmospheric δ13C-CH4 values cannot be reconciled with current process-based wetland CH4 models. This finding suggests the need for increased wetland measurements to better understand the contemporary and future role of wetlands in the rise of atmospheric methane and climate feedback. Our findings highlight the predominant role of anthropogenic activities in driving the growth of atmospheric CH4 concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang (张臻)
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Benjamin Poulter
- Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Sara Knox
- Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Ann Stavert
- Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Gavin McNicol
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | | | - Aryeh Feinberg
- Institute for Data, Systems and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yuanhong Zhao (赵园红)
- College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Philippe Bousquet
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environment, LSCE-IPSL (CEA-CNRS-UVSQ), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91191, France
| | - Josep G Canadell
- Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Anita Ganesan
- School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RL, UK
| | - Gustaf Hugelius
- Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-106 91, Sweden
| | - George Hurtt
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Robert B Jackson
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Prabir K Patra
- Research Institute for Global Change, JAMSTEC, Yokohama 236-0001, Japan
| | - Marielle Saunois
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environment, LSCE-IPSL (CEA-CNRS-UVSQ), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91191, France
| | - Lena Höglund-Isaksson
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg A-2361, Austria
| | - Chunlin Huang (黄春林)
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Abhishek Chatterjee
- Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
- Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD 21046, USA
| | - Xin Li (李新)
- Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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6
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Planning to Practice: Impacts of Large-Scale and Rapid Urban Afforestation on Greenspace Patterns in the Beijing Plain Area. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12030316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
(1) Research Highlights: Afforestation is one of the most effective urban greening practices for mitigating a variety of environmental issues. Globally, municipal governments have launched large-scale afforestation programs in metropolitan areas during the last decades. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban greenspace patterns are seldom studied during such afforestation programs. (2) Background and Objectives: In this study, the Beijing Plain Afforestation Project (BPAP), which planted 70,711 ha of trees in only four years, was examined by integrating spatial and landscape analysis. To evaluate the real-world outcomes of this massive program, we investigated the spatial-temporal dynamics of landscape patterns during the implementation process to identify potential impacts and challenges for future management of new afforestation. (3) Materials and Methods: We analyzed the transition of various patch types and sizes, applied landscape indicators to measure the temporal changes in urban greenspace patterns, and used the landscape expansion index to quantify the rate and extent of greenspace spatial expansion. (4) Results: Our results illustrated that the implementation of afforestation in the Beijing plain area had generally achieved its initial goal of increasing the proportion of land devoted to forest (increased 8.43%) and parks (increased 0.23%). Afforestation also accelerated the conversion of small-size greenspaces to large-size patches. However, the significant discrepancies found between planned and actual afforestation sites, as well as the large conversion of cropland to forest, may present major challenges for project optimization and future management. (5) Conclusions: This study demonstrated that spatial analysis is a useful and potentially replicable method that can rapidly provide new data to support further afforestation ecosystem assessments and provide spatial insights into the optimization of large inner-city afforestation projects.
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7
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Yadav R, Deora S, Yadav G. Air pollution and its impact on cardiovascular health - It's time to act fast! Indian Heart J 2021; 73:1-6. [PMID: 33714392 PMCID: PMC7961250 DOI: 10.1016/j.ihj.2021.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Yadav
- Department of Cardiology, AIIMS, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India.
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8
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Evidence for massive emission of methane from a deep-water gas field during the Pliocene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:27869-27876. [PMID: 33106401 PMCID: PMC7668107 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001904117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Geologic hydrocarbon seepage is considered to be the dominant natural source of atmospheric methane in terrestrial and shallow-water areas; in deep-water areas, in contrast, hydrocarbon seepage is expected to have no atmospheric impact because the gas is typically consumed throughout the water column. Here, we present evidence for a sudden expulsion of a reservoir-size quantity of methane from a deep-water seep during the Pliocene, resulting from natural reservoir overpressure. Combining three-dimensional seismic data, borehole data and fluid-flow modeling, we estimate that 18-27 of the 23-31 Tg of methane released at the seafloor could have reached the atmosphere over 39-241 days. This emission is ∼10% and ∼28% of present-day, annual natural and petroleum-industry methane emissions, respectively. While no such ultraseepage events have been documented in modern times and their frequency is unknown, seismic data suggest they were not rare in the past and may potentially occur at present in critically pressurized reservoirs. This neglected phenomenon can influence decadal changes in atmospheric methane.
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9
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Zheng Y, Wang H, Yu Z, Haroon F, Hernández ME, Chistoserdova L. Metagenomic Insight into Environmentally Challenged Methane-Fed Microbial Communities. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8101614. [PMID: 33092280 PMCID: PMC7589939 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to investigate, through high-resolution metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, the composition and the trajectories of microbial communities originating from a natural sample, fed exclusively with methane, over 14 weeks of laboratory incubation. This study builds on our prior data, suggesting that multiple functional guilds feed on methane, likely through guild-to-guild carbon transfer, and potentially through intraguild and intraspecies interactions. We observed that, under two simulated dioxygen partial pressures—low versus high—community trajectories were different, with considerable variability among the replicates. In all microcosms, four major functional guilds were prominently present, representing Methylococcaceae (the true methanotrophs), Methylophilaceae (the nonmethanotrophic methylotrophs), Burkholderiales, and Bacteroidetes. Additional functional guilds were detected in multiple samples, such as members of Opitutae, as well as the predatory species, suggesting additional complexity for methane-oxidizing communities. Metatranscriptomic analysis suggested simultaneous expression of the two alternative types of methanol dehydrogenases in both Methylococcaceae and Methylophilaceae, while high expression of the oxidative/nitrosative stress response genes suggested competition for dioxygen among the community members. The transcriptomic analysis further suggested that Burkholderiales likely feed on acetate that is produced by Methylococcaceae under hypoxic conditions, while Bacteroidetes likely feed on biopolymers produced by both Methylococcaceae and Methylophilaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; (Y.Z.); (H.W.)
| | - Huan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; (Y.Z.); (H.W.)
| | - Zheng Yu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Fauzi Haroon
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA;
| | - Maria E. Hernández
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
- Biotechnological Management of Resources Network, Institute of Ecology A. C., 91070 Xalapa, Mexico
- Correspondence: (M.E.H.); (L.C.)
| | - Ludmila Chistoserdova
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
- Correspondence: (M.E.H.); (L.C.)
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10
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Dyonisius MN, Petrenko VV, Smith AM, Hua Q, Yang B, Schmitt J, Beck J, Seth B, Bock M, Hmiel B, Vimont I, Menking JA, Shackleton SA, Baggenstos D, Bauska TK, Rhodes RH, Sperlich P, Beaudette R, Harth C, Kalk M, Brook EJ, Fischer H, Severinghaus JP, Weiss RF. Old carbon reservoirs were not important in the deglacial methane budget. Science 2020; 367:907-910. [PMID: 32079770 DOI: 10.1126/science.aax0504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Permafrost and methane hydrates are large, climate-sensitive old carbon reservoirs that have the potential to emit large quantities of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as the Earth continues to warm. We present ice core isotopic measurements of methane (Δ14C, δ13C, and δD) from the last deglaciation, which is a partial analog for modern warming. Our results show that methane emissions from old carbon reservoirs in response to deglacial warming were small (<19 teragrams of methane per year, 95% confidence interval) and argue against similar methane emissions in response to future warming. Our results also indicate that methane emissions from biomass burning in the pre-Industrial Holocene were 22 to 56 teragrams of methane per year (95% confidence interval), which is comparable to today.
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Affiliation(s)
- M N Dyonisius
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
| | - V V Petrenko
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - A M Smith
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
| | - Q Hua
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
| | - B Yang
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
| | - J Schmitt
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J Beck
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - B Seth
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Bock
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - B Hmiel
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - I Vimont
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - J A Menking
- College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - S A Shackleton
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - D Baggenstos
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - T K Bauska
- College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.,British Antarctic Survey High Cross, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
| | - R H Rhodes
- College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK
| | - P Sperlich
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), 6021 Wellington, New Zealand
| | - R Beaudette
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - C Harth
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - M Kalk
- College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - E J Brook
- College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - H Fischer
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J P Severinghaus
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - R F Weiss
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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11
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Stieger J, Bamberger I, Siegwolf RTW, Buchmann N, Eugster W. Source partitioning of atmospheric methane using stable carbon isotope measurements in the Reuss Valley, Switzerland. ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 2019; 55:1-24. [PMID: 30626219 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2018.1561448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Measurements of methane ( CH4 ) mole fractions and δ13 C-CH4 that resolve the diel cycle in the agriculturally dominated Reuss Valley, Switzerland, were used to quantify the contributions of different CH4 sources to the atmospheric CH4 source mix. Both a nocturnal (NBL) and a diurnal convective boundary layer (CBL) approach were employed. A diel course of CH4 mole fractions was found with a daytime minimum (background around 1900 ppb) and a nocturnal maximum (up to 3500 ppb). The δ13 C value in CH4 only showed small variations during the day (9-21 hours CET, -45.0±0.2 ‰ mean±SE ) when the atmosphere was well mixed, but decreased by -4.8±0.1 ‰ during the night. Biogenic emissions dominated in both approaches (ranging from 60 to 94%), but non-biogenic sources were rather important (42.2% and 46.0% with CBL, 5.8% and 40% with NBL approach in 2011 and 2012, respectively, of total emissions). The CH4 sink, dominated by tropospheric OH oxidation and only to a minor extend by soil surface uptake, was quantified at roughly 4% of local emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ines Bamberger
- a Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
- b Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, KIT , Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Rolf T W Siegwolf
- a Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
- c Laboratory for Atmospheric Chemistry , Paul Scherrer Institute , Villigen-PSI , Switzerland
| | - Nina Buchmann
- a Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
| | - Werner Eugster
- a Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland
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12
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Air pollution in India and related adverse respiratory health effects: past, present, and future directions. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2019; 24:108-116. [PMID: 29300211 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The review describes current status of air pollution in India, summarizes recent research on adverse health effects of ambient and household air pollution, and outlines the ongoing efforts and future actions required to improve air quality and reduce morbidity and mortality because of air pollution in India. RECENT FINDINGS Global burden of disease data analysis reveals more than one million premature deaths attributable to ambient air pollution in 2015 in India. More than one million additional deaths can be attributed to household air pollution. Particulate matter with diameter 2.5 μm or less has been causatively linked with most premature deaths. Acute respiratory tract infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, exacerbations of preexisting obstructive airway disease and lung cancer are proven adverse respiratory effects of air pollution. Targeting air quality standards laid by WHO can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality because of air pollution in India. SUMMARY India is currently exposed to high levels of ambient and household air pollutants. Respiratory adverse effects of air pollution are significant contributors to morbidity and premature mortality in India. Substantial efforts are being made at legislative, administrative, and community levels to improve air quality. However, much more needs to be done to change the 'status quo' and attain the target air quality standards. VIDEO ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/COPM/A24.
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Large changes in biomass burning over the last millennium inferred from paleoatmospheric ethane in polar ice cores. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:12413-12418. [PMID: 30455300 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807172115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomass burning drives changes in greenhouse gases, climate-forcing aerosols, and global atmospheric chemistry. There is controversy about the magnitude and timing of changes in biomass burning emissions on millennial time scales from preindustrial to present and about the relative importance of climate change and human activities as the underlying cause. Biomass burning is one of two notable sources of ethane in the preindustrial atmosphere. Here, we present ice core ethane measurements from Antarctica and Greenland that contain information about changes in biomass burning emissions since 1000 CE (Common Era). The biomass burning emissions of ethane during the Medieval Period (1000-1500 CE) were higher than present day and declined sharply to a minimum during the cooler Little Ice Age (1600-1800 CE). Assuming that preindustrial atmospheric reactivity and transport were the same as in the modern atmosphere, we estimate that biomass burning emissions decreased by 30 to 45% from the Medieval Period to the Little Ice Age. The timing and magnitude of this decline in biomass burning emissions is consistent with that inferred from ice core methane stable carbon isotope ratios but inconsistent with histories based on sedimentary charcoal and ice core carbon monoxide measurements. This study demonstrates that biomass burning emissions have exceeded modern levels in the past and may be highly sensitive to changes in climate.
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Climate and the Decline and Fall of the Western Roman Empire: A Bibliometric View on an Interdisciplinary Approach to Answer a Most Classic Historical Question. CLIMATE 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/cli6040090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This bibliometric analysis deals with research on the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire in connection with climate change. Based on the Web of Science (WoS) database, we applied a combination of three different search queries for retrieving the relevant literature: (1) on the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in general, (2) more specifically on the downfall in connection with a changing climate, and (3) on paleoclimatic research in combination with the time period of the Roman Empire and Late Antiquity. Additionally, we considered all references cited by an ensemble of selected key papers and all citing papers of these key papers, whereby we retrieved additional publications (in particular, books and book chapters). We merged the literature retrieved, receiving a final publication set of 85 publications. We analyzed this publication set by applying a toolset of bibliometric methods and visualization programs. A co-authorship map of all authors, a keyword map for a rough content analysis, and a citation network based on the publication set of 85 papers are presented. We also considered news mentions in this study to identify papers with impacts beyond science. According to the literature retrieved, a multitude of paleoclimatic data from various geographical sites for the time of late antiquity indicate a climatic shift away from the stability of previous centuries. Recently, some scholars have argued that drought in Central Asia and the onset of a cooler climate in North-West Eurasia may have put Germanic tribes, Goths, and Huns on the move into the Roman Empire, provoking the Migration Period and eventually leading to the downfall of the Western Roman Empire. However, climate is only one variable at play; a combination of many factors interacting with each other is a possible explanation for the pattern of long-lasting decline and final collapse. Currently, the number of records from different locations, the toolbox of suitable analytic methods, and the precision of dating are evolving rapidly, contributing to an answer for one of the most classic of all historical questions. However, these studies still lack the inevitable collaboration of the major disciplines involved: archeology, history, and climatology. The articles of the publication set analyzed mainly result from research in the geosciences.
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More AF, Spaulding NE, Bohleber P, Handley MJ, Hoffmann H, Korotkikh EV, Kurbatov AV, Loveluck CP, Sneed SB, McCormick M, Mayewski PA. The Role of Historical Context in Understanding Past Climate, Pollution and Health Data in Trans-disciplinary Studies: Reply to Comments on More et al., 2017. GEOHEALTH 2018; 2:162-170. [PMID: 32159523 PMCID: PMC7007076 DOI: 10.1029/2017gh000121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the context from which evidence emerges is of paramount importance in reaching robust conclusions in scientific inquiries. This is as true of the present as it is of the past. In a trans-disciplinary study such as More et al. (2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GH000064) and many others appearing in this and similar journals, a proper analysis of context demands the use of historical evidence. This includes demographic, epidemiological, and socio-economic data-common in many studies of the impact of anthropogenic pollution on human health-and, as in this specific case, also geoarchaeological evidence. These records anchor climate and pollution data in the geographic and human circumstances of history, without which we lose a fundamental understanding of the data itself. This article addresses Hinkley (2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GH000105) by highlighting the importance of context, focusing on the historical and archaeological evidence, and then discussing atmospheric deposition and circulation in the specific region of our study. Since many of the assertions in Bindler (2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GH000135) are congruent with our findings and directly contradict Hinkley (2018), this reply refers to Bindler (2018), whenever appropriate, and indicates where our evidence diverges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander F. More
- Initiative for the Science of the Human Past and Department of HistoryHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
- Climate Change InstituteUniversity of MaineOronoMEUSA
| | - Nicole E. Spaulding
- Initiative for the Science of the Human Past and Department of HistoryHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
- Climate Change InstituteUniversity of MaineOronoMEUSA
| | - Pascal Bohleber
- Climate Change InstituteUniversity of MaineOronoMEUSA
- Institute of Environmental PhysicsHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Helene Hoffmann
- Institute of Environmental PhysicsHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | | | | | | | | | - Michael McCormick
- Initiative for the Science of the Human Past and Department of HistoryHarvard UniversityCambridgeMAUSA
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Ryu Y, Ahn J, Yang JW. High-Precision Measurement of N 2O Concentration in Ice Cores. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:731-738. [PMID: 29303256 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b05250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substance whose emissions are substantially perturbed by current human activities. Although air trapped in polar ice cores can provide direct information about N2O evolution, analytical precision was not previously sufficient for high temporal resolution studies. In this work, we present a highly improved analytical technique with which to study N2O concentrations in ancient-air-trapped ice cores. We adopt a melt-refreezing method to extract air and use a gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) to determine N2O concentrations. The GC conditions are optimized to improve the sensitivity for detecting N2O. Retrapped N2O in ice during the extraction procedure is precisely analyzed and corrected. We confirmed our results using data from the Styx Glacier ice core in Antarctica by comparing them with the results of a dry-extraction method. The precision estimated from the pooled standard deviation of replicated measurements of the Styx ice core was 1.5 ppb for ∼20 g of ice, a smaller sample of ice than was used in previous studies, showing a significant improvement in precision. Our preliminary results from the Styx Glacier ice core samples have the potential to define small N2O variations (a few parts per billion) at centennial time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeongjun Ryu
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Ahn
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Woong Yang
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul Republic of Korea
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Reduced biomass burning emissions reconcile conflicting estimates of the post-2006 atmospheric methane budget. Nat Commun 2017; 8:2227. [PMID: 29263323 PMCID: PMC5738352 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02246-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Several viable but conflicting explanations have been proposed to explain the recent ~8 p.p.b. per year increase in atmospheric methane after 2006, equivalent to net emissions increase of ~25 Tg CH4 per year. A concurrent increase in atmospheric ethane implicates a fossil source; a concurrent decrease in the heavy isotope content of methane points toward a biogenic source, while other studies propose a decrease in the chemical sink (OH). Here we show that biomass burning emissions of methane decreased by 3.7 (±1.4) Tg CH4 per year from the 2001–2007 to the 2008–2014 time periods using satellite measurements of CO and CH4, nearly twice the decrease expected from prior estimates. After updating both the total and isotopic budgets for atmospheric methane with these revised biomass burning emissions (and assuming no change to the chemical sink), we find that fossil fuels contribute between 12–19 Tg CH4 per year to the recent atmospheric methane increase, thus reconciling the isotopic- and ethane-based results. The drivers of the increase in atmospheric methane since 2006 remain unclear. Here, the authors use satellite and in situ measurements of CO and CH4 to show that fossil fuels and biogenic sources contribute 12–19 Tg CH4per year and 12–16 Tg CH4per year respectively to the recent atmospheric methane increase.
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Bock M, Schmitt J, Beck J, Seth B, Chappellaz J, Fischer H. Glacial/interglacial wetland, biomass burning, and geologic methane emissions constrained by dual stable isotopic CH 4 ice core records. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E5778-E5786. [PMID: 28673973 PMCID: PMC5530640 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1613883114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric methane (CH4) records reconstructed from polar ice cores represent an integrated view on processes predominantly taking place in the terrestrial biogeosphere. Here, we present dual stable isotopic methane records [δ13CH4 and δD(CH4)] from four Antarctic ice cores, which provide improved constraints on past changes in natural methane sources. Our isotope data show that tropical wetlands and seasonally inundated floodplains are most likely the controlling sources of atmospheric methane variations for the current and two older interglacials and their preceding glacial maxima. The changes in these sources are steered by variations in temperature, precipitation, and the water table as modulated by insolation, (local) sea level, and monsoon intensity. Based on our δD(CH4) constraint, it seems that geologic emissions of methane may play a steady but only minor role in atmospheric CH4 changes and that the glacial budget is not dominated by these sources. Superimposed on the glacial/interglacial variations is a marked difference in both isotope records, with systematically higher values during the last 25,000 y compared with older time periods. This shift cannot be explained by climatic changes. Rather, our isotopic methane budget points to a marked increase in fire activity, possibly caused by biome changes and accumulation of fuel related to the late Pleistocene megafauna extinction, which took place in the course of the last glacial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bock
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jochen Schmitt
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Beck
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Seth
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jérôme Chappellaz
- CNRS, IGE (Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement), F-38000 Grenoble, France
- University of Grenoble Alpes, IGE, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), IGE, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- Grenoble INP (Institut National Polytechnique), IGE, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Hubertus Fischer
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Chronosequencing methanogenic archaea in ancient Longji rice Terraces in China. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2017; 62:879-887. [PMID: 36659324 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2017.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Chronosequences of ancient rice terraces serve as an invaluable archive for reconstructions of historical human-environment interactions. Presently, however, these reconstructions are based on traditional soil physico-chemical properties. The microorganisms in palaeosols have been unexplored. We hypothesized that microbial information can be used as an additional proxy to complement and consolidate archaeological interpretations. To test this hypothesis, the palaeoenvironmental methanogenic archaeal DNA in Longji Terraces, one of the famous ancient terraces in China, dating back to the late Yuan Dynasty (CE 1361-1406), was chronosequenced by high-throughput sequencing. It was found that the methanogenic archaeal abundance, diversity and community composition were closely associated with the 630years of rice cultivation and in line with changes in multi-proxy data. Particularly, the centennial- and decadal-scale influences of known historical events, including social turbulences (The Taiping Rebellion, CE 1850-1865), palaeoclimate changes (the Little Ice Age) and recorded natural disasters (earthquakes and inundation), on ancient agricultural society were clearly echoed in the microbial archives as variations in alpha and beta diversity. This striking correlation suggests that the microorganisms archived in palaeosols can be quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed to provide an additional proxy, and palaeo-microbial information could be routinely incorporated in the toolkit for archaeological interpretation.
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Abstract
Atmospheric methane (CH4) varied with climate during the Quaternary, rising from a concentration of 375 p.p.b.v. during the last glacial maximum (LGM) 21,000 years ago, to 680 p.p.b.v. at the beginning of the industrial revolution. However, the causes of this increase remain unclear; proposed hypotheses rely on fluctuations in either the magnitude of CH4 sources or CH4 atmospheric lifetime, or both. Here we use an Earth System model to provide a comprehensive assessment of these competing hypotheses, including estimates of uncertainty. We show that in this model, the global LGM CH4 source was reduced by 28–46%, and the lifetime increased by 2–8%, with a best-estimate LGM CH4 concentration of 463–480 p.p.b.v. Simulating the observed LGM concentration requires a 46–49% reduction in sources, indicating that we cannot reconcile the observed amplitude. This highlights the need for better understanding of the effects of low CO2 and cooler climate on wetlands and other natural CH4 sources. The cause of the increase in atmospheric methane from 375 p.p.b.v. during the last ice age to 680 p.p.b.v. at the onset of Industrialization remains uncertain. Here, using an Earth system model, the authors show that we cannot reconcile this rise based on our current understanding of natural methane sources.
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Schwietzke S, Sherwood OA, Bruhwiler LMP, Miller JB, Etiope G, Dlugokencky EJ, Michel SE, Arling VA, Vaughn BH, White JWC, Tans PP. Upward revision of global fossil fuel methane emissions based on isotope database. Nature 2016; 538:88-91. [DOI: 10.1038/nature19797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 312] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Pinti DL, Gelinas Y, Moritz AM, Larocque M, Sano Y. Anthropogenic and natural methane emissions from a shale gas exploration area of Quebec, Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 566-567:1329-1338. [PMID: 27267724 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.05.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The increasing number of studies on the determination of natural methane in groundwater of shale gas prospection areas offers a unique opportunity for refining the quantification of natural methane emissions. Here methane emissions, computed from four potential sources, are reported for an area of ca. 16,500km(2) of the St. Lawrence Lowlands, Quebec (Canada), where Utica shales are targeted by the petroleum industry. Methane emissions can be caused by 1) groundwater degassing as a result of groundwater abstraction for domestic and municipal uses; 2) groundwater discharge along rivers; 3) migration to the surface by (macro- and micro-) diffuse seepage; 4) degassing of hydraulic fracturing fluids during first phases of drilling. Methane emissions related to groundwater discharge to rivers (2.47×10(-4) to 9.35×10(-3)Tgyr(-1)) surpass those of diffuse seepage (4.13×10(-6) to 7.14×10(-5)Tgyr(-1)) and groundwater abstraction (6.35×10(-6) to 2.49×10(-4)Tgyr(-1)). The methane emission from the degassing of flowback waters during drilling of the Utica shale over a 10- to 20-year horizon is estimated from 2.55×10(-3) to 1.62×10(-2)Tgyr(-1). These emissions are from one third to sixty-six times the methane emissions from groundwater discharge to rivers. This study shows that different methane emission sources need to be considered in environmental assessments of methane exploitation projects to better understand their impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele L Pinti
- GEOTOP and Département des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 1P8, Canada.
| | - Yves Gelinas
- GEOTOP and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Anja M Moritz
- GEOTOP and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Marie Larocque
- GEOTOP and Département des sciences de la Terre et de l'atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 1P8, Canada
| | - Yuji Sano
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan; Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan
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Waters CN, Zalasiewicz J, Summerhayes C, Barnosky AD, Poirier C, Gałuszka A, Cearreta A, Edgeworth M, Ellis EC, Ellis M, Jeandel C, Leinfelder R, McNeill JR, Richter DD, Steffen W, Syvitski J, Vidas D, Wagreich M, Williams M, Zhisheng A, Grinevald J, Odada E, Oreskes N, Wolfe AP. The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene. Science 2016; 351:aad2622. [PMID: 26744408 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad2622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 385] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin N. Waters
- British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
| | - Jan Zalasiewicz
- Department of Geology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Colin Summerhayes
- Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge University, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1ER, UK
| | - Anthony D. Barnosky
- Department of Integrative Biology, Museum of Paleontology, and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Clément Poirier
- Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière, Université de Caen Normandie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 24 Rue des Tilleuls, F-14000 Caen, France
| | - Agnieszka Gałuszka
- Geochemistry and the Environment Division, Institute of Chemistry, Jan Kochanowski University, 15G Świętokrzyska Street, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
| | - Alejandro Cearreta
- Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Matt Edgeworth
- School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Erle C. Ellis
- Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland–Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Michael Ellis
- British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
| | - Catherine Jeandel
- Laboratoire d’Etudes en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales (CNRS, Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université Paul Sabatier), 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Reinhold Leinfelder
- Department of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstraße 74-100/D, 12249 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Daniel deB. Richter
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90233, Durham, NC 27516, USA
| | - Will Steffen
- The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia
| | - James Syvitski
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado–Boulder, Box 545, Boulder, CO 80309-0545, USA
| | - Davor Vidas
- Marine Affairs and Law of the Sea Programme, The Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Lysaker, Norway
| | - Michael Wagreich
- Department of Geodynamics and Sedimentology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Williams
- Department of Geology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - An Zhisheng
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jacques Grinevald
- Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement, Chemin Eugène Rigot 2, 1211 Genève 11, Switzerland
| | - Eric Odada
- Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Naomi Oreskes
- Department of the History of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alexander P. Wolfe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
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Lewis SL, Maslin MA. Defining the Anthropocene. Nature 2015; 519:171-80. [DOI: 10.1038/nature14258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1488] [Impact Index Per Article: 165.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Tokida T, Nakajima Y, Hayashi K, Usui Y, Katayanagi N, Kajiura M, Nakamura H, Hasegawa T. Fully automated, high-throughput instrumentation for measuring the δ13C value of methane and application of the instrumentation to rice paddy samples. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2014; 28:2315-2324. [PMID: 25279745 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Revised: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The stable carbon isotope ratio ((13)C/(12)C or δ(13)C value) of methane (CH4) produced in methanogenic environments contains information about primary source material, CH4 production pathways, degree of oxidation, and transport. However, the availability of δ(13)C-CH4 data is severely limited because isotope analysis methods are low throughput, owing primarily to the need for manual processing steps. High-throughput, fully automated measurement is necessary to facilitate the use of the δ(13)C signature in understanding CH4 biogeochemistry. METHODS We modified a conventional continuous-flow (CF) gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) instrument system by incorporating (i) automated sample injection, (ii) a newly developed temperature-control unit for preconcentration and cryofocus traps, and (iii) an automatic system for liquid-nitrogen refilling. The system, which could run unattended for 1 day, was used to obtain δ(13)C-CH4 data for CH4 samples collected from an irrigated rice paddy with an automated closed-chamber system. RESULTS Using the fully automated CF-IRMS system, we measured δ(13)C-CH4 data for 77 samples during a 21.5-h continuous run (17 min per sample) with high precision (1σ = 0.11‰, reproducibility) and moderate consumption of liquid nitrogen (11 L). Application of the system to CH4 samples obtained from the rice paddy revealed distinct seasonal and diurnal variations in δ(13)C values with the highest temporal resolution ever reported. CONCLUSIONS A fully automated, high-throughput system for the measurement of δ(13)C-CH4 values was developed and used to analyze air samples obtained from a rice paddy. Our results demonstrate the high potential of this system for obtaining δ(13)C data useful for process-level understanding of CH4 biogeochemistry with respect to spatiotemporal variation of CH4 sources and how that variation is affected by environmental and management factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Tokida
- Carbon and Nutrient Cycles Division, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba, 305-8604, Japan
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Mitchell L, Brook E, Lee JE, Buizert C, Sowers T. Constraints on the Late Holocene Anthropogenic Contribution to the Atmospheric Methane Budget. Science 2013; 342:964-6. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1238920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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27
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Gibbard PL, Walker MJC. The term ‘Anthropocene’ in the context of formal geological classification. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1144/sp395.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn recent years, ‘Anthropocene’ has been proposed as an informal stratigraphic term to denote the current interval of anthropogenic global environmental change. A case has also been made to formalize it as a series/epoch, based on the recognition of a suitable marker event, such as the start of the Industrial Revolution in northern Europe. For the Anthropocene to merit formal definition, a global signature distinct from that of the Holocene is required that is marked by novel biotic, sedimentary and geochemical change. Although there is clear evidence of anthropogenic effects in geological sequences, it is uncertain whether these trends are sufficiently distinct, consistent and dated for the proposal for a Holocene/Anthropocene boundary to be substantiated. The current view of the Earth-Science community is that it should remain informal. For formal definition a Global Stratigraphic Section and Point (GSSP) is required. Adoption of the term ‘Anthropocene’ will ultimately depend on recognition of a global event horizon. Without this, there is no justification for decoupling the Anthropocene from the Holocene. If the Anthropocene is deemed to have utility, it should be as an informal historical designation rather than a formally defined stratigraphic unit (of whatever status) within the geological timescale.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. L. Gibbard
- Department of Geography, Cambridge Quaternary, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EN, UK
| | - M. J. C. Walker
- School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, Trinity Saint David, University of Wales, Lampeter SA48 7ED, UK
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Varlet V, Smith F, Augsburger M. Validation of methane measurement using headspace-GC-MS and quantification by a stable isotope-labeled internal standard generated in situ. J Sep Sci 2013; 36:1967-72. [DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201300080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Varlet
- Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit; University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva; Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Fiona Smith
- Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit; University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva; Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Marc Augsburger
- Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Unit; University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne-Geneva; Lausanne Switzerland
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