Sunitha Pangala - Methane Emissions from Forested Wetlands

Forested wetlands are an important source of a powerful greenhouse gas, methane. Recent studies suggest that methane emissions from tropical forests, many of which are flooded, are greater than previously thought. The observed large methane emissions in the tropics could be due to ‘tree-mediated methane emissions’ an overlooked and unexplored methane emission pathway. Although, significant tree-mediated methane emissions have been identified in a few temperate tree species, current methane emission estimates from forested wetlands exclude tree-mediated methane emissions. In this talk I will address the following questions: Do trees emit methane?  Does the emission vary between trees and forests? Are these emissions important at an ecosystem level?