Forums | HES 健康与环境科学

03 November 2023, 10:59 AM

Speaker: Hao Liu

Date: 2023-11-08

Time: 14:00-14:30 pm

Room: ES354

Online link:

https://meeting.tencent.com/dm/cHLE02oBtSPP

Meeting ID: 664-4757-0489

Title: How do physical interferences to organic carbons at soil-water interfaces change methane emissions?

Abstract:

Wetlands and rice paddies contribute approximately one-third of total methane emissions, with submerged sediments and soils acting as substantial reservoirs of organic carbon. Investigating the dynamics of organic matter in these environments is essential for advancing our understanding of the global carbon cycle. In this study, we developed a mesoscale model using soil-water interfaces to examine how methane emission from these systems might be altered by organic inputs and physical disturbances. Prior research discovered that a ten-millimeter perturbation to the leaf litter at soil-water interfaces significantly amplifies methane emission. To clarify this positive priming effect, we profiled water chemistry, redox potential, and microbial communities as the processes evolved.

A few millimeters do matter. Our research highlights the potential underestimation of physical processes in modifying methane emission in submerged environments. Currently, we are exploring other physical interventions on organic carbon, such as the placement of a plastic film at the soil-water interface. This film shows a capacitor-like effect on carbon dioxide, which is believed to be predominantly physical due to the artificial material's persistence. However, the decline in methane fluxes remains inadequately explained by known mechanisms, leading to development of new hypotheses and the consideration of light-driven processes.