The greenhouse effect, which is also promoted by naturally occurring biogas ebullition fluxes (released via bubbles), generated by the decomposition of organic matter in carbonate-enriched and black silt sediments, has been analyzed. This study is based on results obtained using passive gas collectors at different parts of eutrophic Lake Juodis, located in a temperate climate zone in the vicinity of Vilnius (Lithuania). The measured annual biogas (containing about 60% of biomethane) ebullition fluxes from carbonate-enriched sediments and black silt sediments were 16.9–23.0 L/(m2∙y) and 38.5–43.2 L/(m2∙y), respectively. This indicates that the gas fluxes from carbonate sediments were almost twice as low as those from black silt sediments. Oxygen, produced by the photosynthetic activity of green algae in the near-surface water and sediments, helps to retain carbonates in the sediments by preventing their dissolution. In turn, the calcite coating on sediment particles partially preserves organic matter from decomposition, reducing the effective thickness of the sediment layer generating biogas. The characteristic vertical distribution profile of 137Cs activity, with sharp peaks in sediments, suggests that generated biogas bubbles move to the surface of the sediments forming vertical channels by pushing sediment particles asides without noticeably mixing them vertically. This examination showed that factors such as abundance of carbonates in the sediments may result in a significant reduction in biogas generation and emissions from the lake sediments.
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