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Dryad

Data from: Drivers of intra-individual spatial variability in methane emissions from tree trunks in upland forest

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Mar 26, 2024 version files 9.62 KB

Abstract

CH4 emissions from tree trunks in upland forests should be scaled accurately in order to assess the role of tree trunks in the forest CH4 budget. As the chambers used to measure emissions cover only a small part of the tree trunks, it is necessary to understand the intra-individual spatial variability in trunk CH4 emissions. We measured trunk CH4 flux at nine locations per individual on four trees in a cool-temperate upland forest. To appreciate the origin of this variability and the underlying processes, we also measured the potential rate of CH4 production and CH4 concentration at sapwood and characterized wood and bark. Up to 15-fold spatial variation in CH4 fluxes were observed at the individual level. This variability can be highlighted by the variation in the sapwood CH4 concentration which was further explained by the variation in CH4 production rate. The radial CH4 diffusivity calculated from concentration gradients and emissions was not related to the measured characteristics of either wood or bark, raising the question of the diffusion pathway. We emphasized the importance of sampling trunk CH4 flux at multiple locations on the surface of a tree trunk to capture spatial variability, a prerequisite for estimating tree-level CH4 emissions.