Short-term effects of fire disturbance on CH₄ emission from forested wetlands in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, Northeast China

Abstract

Using static chamber gas chromatography, we determined the seasonal dynamics, controlling factors, and distribution patterns of forest swamp CH₄ levels and related environmental factors (temperature, water level) after fire disturbance in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains. The results showed the following: during the growing season, the annual CH₄ emission distribution ranged from − 0.001 ± 0.012 to 22.373 ± 3.650 mg m⁻² h⁻¹; mild fire caused the swamp CH₄ emission flux of tussock, shrub, Alnus sibirica and birch swamp to increase by 56.0–524.7%; at low water levels, temperature had a significant influence on the swamp type, and the correlation between the methane emission flux and temperature was significantly strengthened; after a fire disturbance, methane emissions from all types of marsh were highest in summer and second highest in autumn, with a weak absorption in spring; and along the water environment gradient of the transition zone, the CH₄ emission flux presented a decreasing trend in its spatial distribution pattern.

Keywords

Xiaoxing’an Mountains / Forest swamp / CH₄ emission / Fire disturbance

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