Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Contemporary And Projected Biogenic Fluxes Of Methane And Nitrous Oxide In North American Terrestrial Ecosystems, Hanqin Tian, Chaoqun (Crystal) Lu, Guangsheng Chen, Bo Tao, Shufen Pan, Stephen J. Del Grosso, Xiaofeng Xu, Lori Bruhwiler, Steven C. Wofsy, Eric A. Kort, Stephen A. Prior

Chaoqun (Crystal) Lu

Accurately estimating biogenic methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems is critical for resolving global budgets of these greenhouse gases (GHGs) and continuing to mitigate climate warming. Here, we assess contemporary biogenic CH4 and N2O budgets and probable climate-change-related impacts on CH4 and N2O emissions in terrestrial North America. Multi-approach estimations show that, during 1990–2010, biogenic CH4 emissions ranged from 0.159 to 0.502 petagrams of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents per year (Pg CO2eq yr–1, where 1 Pg = 1 × 1015 g) and N2O emissions ranged from 0.802 to 1.016 Pg CO2eq yr–1, which offset 47–166% of …