Methane Formation in Living Trees: A Microbial Origin

Zeikus, J. G.; Ward, James

doi:10.1126/science.184.4142.1181

Cited by 132 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Rapid degassing through the core barrel has been observed in outwardly healthy trees growing in poorly drained soils (Carter 1945), but does not appear to represent normal healthy growth patterns (Abell and Hursh 1931;Zeikus and Ward 1974). Rather, it appears to indicate an infestation of methanogenic and other bacteria in the tree heartwood (Stankewich et al 1971;Zeikus and Ward 1974). Methane was present in the cores from tree PJ12, suggesting that methanogenic conditions driven by microbial infestation were present in the inner part of tree PJ12.…”

Section: Potential Degradation Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…It is noteworthy that after the outer core was collected and the core barrel was being advanced to collect the inner core, the tree began spitting water and gas through the core barrel. Rapid degassing through the core barrel has been observed in outwardly healthy trees growing in poorly drained soils (Carter 1945), but does not appear to represent normal healthy growth patterns (Abell and Hursh 1931;Zeikus and Ward 1974). Rather, it appears to indicate an infestation of methanogenic and other bacteria in the tree heartwood (Stankewich et al 1971;Zeikus and Ward 1974).…”

Section: Potential Degradation Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Ground Water Chlorinated Ethenes in Tree Trunks: Case Studies, Influence of Recharge, and Potential Degradation Mechanism

Vroblesky

Clinton

Vose

et al. 2004

Groundwater Monitoring Rem

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Trichloroethene (TCE) was detected in cores of trees growing above TCE‐contaminated ground at three sites: the Carswell Golf Course in Texas, Air Force Plant PJKS in Colorado, and Naval Weapons Station Charleston in South Carolina. This was true even when the depth to water was 7.9 m or when the contaminated aquifer was confined beneath ∼3 m of clay. Additional ground water contaminants detected in the tree cores were cis–1,2‐dichloroethene at two sites and tetrachloroethene at one site. Thus, tree coring can be a rapid and effective means of locating shallow subsurface chlorinated ethenes and possibly identifying zones of active TCE dechlorination. Tree cores collected over time were useful in identifying the onset of ground water contamination. Several factors affecting chlorinated ethene concentrations in tree cores were identified in this investigation. The factors include ground water chlorinated ethene concentrations and depth to ground water contamination. In addition, differing TCE concentrations around the trunk of some trees appear to be related to the roots deriving water from differing areas. Opportunistic uptake of infiltrating rainfall can dilute prerain TCE concentrations in the trunk. TCE concentrations in core headspace may differ among some tree species. In some trees, infestation of bacteria in decaying heartwood may provide a TCE dechlorination mechanism within the trunk.

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Section: Potential Degradation Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Potential Degradation Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ground Water Chlorinated Ethenes in Tree Trunks: Case Studies, Influence of Recharge, and Potential Degradation Mechanism

Vroblesky

Clinton

Vose

et al. 2004

Groundwater Monitoring Rem

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show abstract

“…Most MM measurement studies have not detected substantial aerobic CH 4 emissions from vegetation (Bowling et al, 2009;Querino et al, 2011;Ueyama et al, 2012;Wang et al, 2013), but Mikkelsen et al (2011) found indications for CH 4 emissions from a beech forest stand during a period of low wind conditions. However, microbial production of CH 4 in the wet heartwood of trees has been known for at least 40 yr (Zeikus and Ward, 1974). Furthermore, trees can transport and release CH 4 from soil water (Gauci et al, 2010;Terazawa et al, 2007).…”

Section: Impact Of Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methane exchange in a boreal forest estimated by gradient method

Sundqvist

Mölder

Crill

et al. 2015

Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology

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A B S T R A C T Forests are generally considered to be net sinks of atmospheric methane (CH 4 ) because of oxidation by methanotrophic bacteria in well-aerated forests soils. However, emissions from wet forest soils, and sometimes canopy fluxes, are often neglected when quantifying the CH 4 budget of a forest. We used a modified Bowen ratio method and combined eddy covariance and gradient methods to estimate net CH 4 exchange at a boreal forest site in central Sweden. Results indicate that the site is a net source of CH 4 . This is in contrast to soil, branch and leaf chamber measurements of uptake of CH 4 . Wetter soils within the footprint of the canopy are thought to be responsible for the discrepancy. We found no evidence for canopy emissions per se. However, the diel pattern of the CH 4 exchange with minimum emissions at daytime correlated well with gross primary production, which supports an uptake in the canopy. More distant source areas could also contribute to the diel pattern; their contribution might be greater at night during stable boundary layer conditions.

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“…Methane in stem wood has traditionally been believed to originate from microbial activity where anaerobic bacteria first degrade wood cell wall components to acetate, formate, H2 and CO2, which are in turn transformed to CO2 and CH4 by co-existing methanogenic archaea [7]. Anaerobic conditions in tree stems that lead to CH4 formation may be associated with bacterial wetwood, especially on poorly-drained soils [8]. Anaerobic or microaerobic conditions can also occur in the heartwood of trees growing on well-drained upland soils to an extent that the mineralization of heartwood by associated decay fungi is hampered [9,10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon Dioxide and Methane Formation in Norway Spruce Stems Infected by White-Rot Fungi

Hietala

Dörsch

Kvaalen

et al. 2015

Forests

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Globally, billions of tons of carbon sequestered in trees are annually recycled back to the atmosphere through wood decomposition by microbes. In Norway, every fifth Norway spruce shows at final harvest infection by pathogenic white-rot fungi in the genera Heterobasidion and Armillaria. As these fungi can mineralize all components of wood, we predicted that they have a significant carbon footprint. Gas samples taken from infected stems were analyzed for CO2 and CH4 concentrations, and wood samples from different parts of the decay columns were incubated under hypoxic (4% O2) and anoxic laboratory conditions. In spring and summer the stem concentrations of CO2 were generally two times higher in trees with heartwood decay than in healthy trees. For most of the healthy trees and trees with heartwood decay, mean stem concentrations of CH4 were comparable to ambient air, and only some Armillaria infected trees showed moderately elevated CH4. Consistently, low CH4 production potentials were recorded in the laboratory experiment. Up-scaling of CO2 efflux due to wood decay in living trees suggests that the balance between carbon sequestration and emission may be substantially influenced in stands with high frequency of advanced root and stem heartwood decay.

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Methane Formation in Living Trees: A Microbial Origin

Cited by 132 publications

References 11 publications

Ground Water Chlorinated Ethenes in Tree Trunks: Case Studies, Influence of Recharge, and Potential Degradation Mechanism

Ground Water Chlorinated Ethenes in Tree Trunks: Case Studies, Influence of Recharge, and Potential Degradation Mechanism

Methane exchange in a boreal forest estimated by gradient method

Carbon Dioxide and Methane Formation in Norway Spruce Stems Infected by White-Rot Fungi

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