Freshwater Methane Emission Alters Greenhouse Gas Equation

Greenhouse gas uptake by continents is less than previously thought because of methane emissions from freshwater areas, to newly released data by an international team of scientists.

John Downing of the Iowa State University concluded that methane release from inland waters is higher than previous estimates.

Methane Once Again On The Rise, Causing Concern
Western scientists are turning their attention to methane yet again, saying it contributes as much as carbon dioxide to global warming, perhaps even more.

The study has indicated that methane gas release from freshwater areas changes the net absorption of greenhouse gases by natural continental environments, such as forests, by at least 25 percent.

The new study gives scientists a better understanding of the balance between carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas releases from fresh water bodies.

"Methane is a greenhouse gas that is more potent than carbon dioxide in the global change scenario.

Oz Scientists Try to Stop Sheep Burping to Reduce Methane Emissions
In a major development, Australian scientists are trying to breed a sheep that belches less, as they look for ways to reduce harmful methane emissions from the country's flocks.

"The bottom line is that we have uncovered an important accounting error in the global carbon budget. Acre for acre, lakes, ponds, rivers and streams are many times more active in carbon processing than seas or land surfaces, so they need to be included in global carbon budgets," said Downing.

David Bastviken, principal author and professor in the department of water and environmental studies, at Linkoping University in Sweden, said small methane emissions from the surfaces of water bodies occur continuously.

Methane Buildup In Rwandan Lake Makes It A Potential Time Bomb
Scientists have expressed their fears that Lake Kivu, the freshwater lake system bordering Rwanda and the Republic of Congo, runs the risk of turning into a freshwater time bomb because

"Greater emissions occur suddenly and with irregular timing, when methane bubbles from the sediment reach the atmosphere, and such fluxes have been difficult to measure," said Bastviken.

The researchers studied methane fluxes from 474 freshwater areas and calculated emission based on new estimates of the global area covered by inland waters.

Scientists Develop Formula To Reduce Methane Gas In Cattle
University of Alberta researchers have developed a formula to reduce methane gas in cattle, which is a threat to the environment.

The findings were published in the journal Science.

Source-ANI