Seasonal Flows of Methane in the Floodplain Bog of the Middle Taiga Zone (North-East European Russia)
A comparative analysis of methane flows was carried out for the first time in various vegetative communities of the floodplain bog located in the middle taiga zone 61°33′25.0″ N, 50°46′28″ E (Komi Republic, Russia). The vascular plant flora of the examined eutrophic floodplain swamp are representedby Carex aquatilis, C. vesicaria, Eriophorum polystachion, E. vaginatum, Menyanthes trifoliata, Comarum palustre, Equisetum fluviatile, Oxycoccus quadripetalus, Alnus incana, Betula pubescens, Pinus sylvestris. Moss cover is formed by different species from Sphagnum genus with Sp. angustifolium and Sp. riparium as the dominant one. Theyear-round measurements of the methane emissions were carried out in 2014 by «closed dark chambers» method. The methane fluxes were measured on a seasonal scale taking into account affecting environmental factors (air and peat temperature at different depths, the level of swamp waters). Studies had shown that the determining factor for methane missions was a temperature of 20-30 cm of peat layer. The methane emissions during the growing season ranged between 6.5-39.4 g CH4 m-2 and in the winter period - 1.14-10.0 g CH4 m-2. Winter methane flows accounted for 15.5-20.3 % of annual values. In future, obtained data can be used to estimate regional flows of methane from the transitional floodplain swamps in the European Northeast.