Abstract
Methane oxidation associated with submersed vascular plants andits effects on diffusive CH4 release from plants wereexamined through a series of laboratory and field incubationexperiments. In laboratory analyses, measured rates of epiphyticoxidation (i.e., oxidation associated with aboveground tissues) rangedfrom 0.3 to 32.9 pmol mm−2 plant tissueh−1 with significant CH4 consumptionassociated with basal (i.e., near sediment) leaves and stems for all sixspecies tested. Basal stem tissue also showed greater oxidation activitythan basal leaves. Oxidation activity for washed roots of threesubmersed species ranged from 0.18 to 7.01 µmolg−1 root ash-free dry mass h−1 withhigher rates associated with two rhizomatous/stoloniferous speciesthan with a non-rhizomatous one. In field incubations of a singlespecies (Myriophyllum exalbescens), intact plants showed netCH4 consumption during the day and net release at night. Whena specific inhibitor of CH4 oxidation was applied (methylfluoride – MF), net daytime release from plants was observed andnighttime flux increased, indicating that diffusive CH4release from submersed plants is significantly curtailed by the activityof epiphytic methanotrophs.
Published Version
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