Methane release from stands of water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) in a boreal lake

Abstract

Summary1. Annual and diel variations in methane (CH4) release in stands of Equisetum fluviatile were measured from June to November in Lake Pääjärvi, southern Finland, where E. fluviatile is the dominant emergent macrophyte. An estimate of total annual release of CH4 from stands of E. fluviatile in this lake was also made. Diel variation was measured twice (June and August), whereas measurements for annual variation were performed monthly. The hypothesis that a relationship exists between the productivity of stands and CH4 release was also tested, whereupon net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 as well as standing stock of E. fluviatile were determined, in addition to simultaneous recordings of air temperature and solar radiation.2. Seasonal variations in CH4 release were pronounced, with the highest release rate of 813 mg m–2 day–1 measured in July and the lowest 6.5 mg m–2 day–1 in November, when the shoreline was already frozen.3. Methane release rates were strongly correlated with mean air temperature in the measuring chambers and with total solar radiation. There was no significant correlation between the instantaneous radiation and CH4 release rates.4. The seasonal patterns of CH4 release and NEE of CO2 resembled each other, except in July when NEE suddenly dropped. The decrease in NEE coincided with the highest CH4 release rate measured and the highest temperature during the measuring period, i.e. 32 °C outside and 37 °C inside the chamber. Excluding this date, daily CH4 release was strongly correlated with NEE (r2 = 0.971).5. No diel changes in CH4 release rates were detected. In June and August the maximum release rates were 11.4 and 16.8 mg CH4 m–2 h–1, respectively.6. The standing stock of E. fluviatile at different times of the growing season was not correlated with CH4 efflux; the CH4 release rates could be related neither to the number of shoots, i.e. sufficient conduits for gas transport were always present, nor to the shoot biomass in the measuring chambers.7. For an estimate of the annual release, the monthly values measured at noon were integrated over the entire growing season; this resulted in 43.7 g CH4 m–2 for the annual emission. The total annual emission of CH4 from the area covered with E. fluviatile in Lake Pääjärvi was calculated to be ≈ 5000 kg.8. Significant amounts of CH4 are released from stands of E. fluviatile in boreal lakes. The CH4 release rate follows a seasonal pattern but there is no diel pattern. Methane release rate can be related to temperature, solar radiation and NEE of CO2, but not to the standing stock of E. fluviatile or the number of shoots.