Methane (CH4) fluxes at peatland plant surfaces are net results of transport of soil-produced CH4 and within-plant CH4 production and consumption, yet factors and processes controlling these fluxes remain unclear. We aimed to assess the effects of seasonality, environmental variables, and CH4 cycling microbes on CH4 fluxes from characteristic fen species.
MethodsFour species (Carex rostrata, Menyanthes trifoliata, Betula nana, Salix lapponum) were selected, and their CH4 fluxes determined in climate-controlled environments with three mesocosms per growing season per species. Microbial genes for CH4 cycling were analysed to check the potential for within-plant CH4 production and oxidation. Two extra experiments were conducted: removal of C. rostrata leaves to identify how leaves constrain CH4 transport, and a labelling experiment with S. lapponum to distinguish between plant-produced and soil-produced CH4 in the plant flux.
ResultsAll species showed seasonal variability in CH4 fluxes. Higher porewater CH4 concentration increased fluxes from C. rostrata and M. trifoliata, decreased fluxes from S. lapponum, and did not affect fluxes from B. nana. Air temperature only and negatively affected CH4 flux from C. rostrata. Light level did not impact CH4 fluxes. Both methanogens and methanotrophs were detected in shoots of S. lapponum and M. trifoliata, methanotrophs in B. nana, and neither in C. rostrata.
ConclusionOur study demonstrates that the seasonal phase of the plants regulates the CH4 fluxes they mediate across species. The detection of methanogens and methanotrophs in herbs and shrubs suggests that microbial processes may contribute to their CH4 fluxes.
", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "570", "0303 health sciences", "metanotrofit", "varvut", "Herbs", "11831 Plant biology", "metaani", "Environmental sciences", "Controlled environments", "Microbes", "03 medical and health sciences", "Phenology", "suot", "Plant-mediated CH fluxes", "suokasvillisuus", "Shrubs", "metanogeenit", "sarat"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06756-x"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Plant%20and%20Soil", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s11104-024-06756-x", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s11104-024-06756-x", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s11104-024-06756-x"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-06-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169662", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:16:37Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-12-28", "title": "Plant-mediated CH4 exchange in wetlands: A review of mechanisms and measurement methods with implications for modelling", "description": "Plant-mediated CH4 transport (PMT) is the dominant pathway through which soil-produced CH4 can escape into the atmosphere and thus plays an important role in controlling ecosystem CH4 emission. PMT is affected by abiotic and biotic factors simultaneously, and the effects of biotic factors, such as the dominant plant species and their traits, can override the effects of abiotic factors. Increasing evidence shows that plant-mediated CH4 fluxes include not only PMT, but also within-plant CH4 production and oxidation due to the detection of methanogens and methanotrophs attached to the shoots. Despite the inter-species and seasonal differences, and the probable contribution of within-plant microbes to total plant-mediated CH4 exchange (PME), current process-based ecosystem models only estimate PMT based on the bulk biomass or leaf area index of aerenchymatous plants. We highlight five knowledge gaps to which more research efforts should be devoted. First, large between-species variation, even within the same family, complicates general estimation of PMT, and calls for further work on the key dominant species in different types of wetlands. Second, the interface (rhizosphere-root, root-shoot, or leaf-atmosphere) and plant traits controlling PMT remain poorly documented, but would be required for generalizations from species to relevant functional groups. Third, the main environmental controls of PMT across species remain uncertain. Fourth, the role of within-plant CH4 production and oxidation is poorly quantified. Fifth, the simplistic description of PMT in current process models results in uncertainty and potentially high errors in predictions of the ecosystem CH4 flux. Our review suggest that flux measurements should be conducted over multiple growing seasons and be paired with trait assessment and microbial analysis, and that trait-based models should be developed. Only then we are capable to accurately estimate plant-mediated CH4 emissions, and eventually ecosystem total CH4 emissions at both regional and global scales.", "keywords": ["Drivers", "330", "Plants", "Carbon Dioxide", "metaani", "Modelling", "Processes", "Soil", "Wetland plants", "Wetlands", "Mechanisms", "suot", "suokasvillisuus", "Plant CH4 transport", "Biomass", "Methane", "Ecosystem"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169662"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Science%20of%20The%20Total%20Environment", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169662", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169662", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169662"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-03-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10138/577327", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:24:33Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-06-01", "title": "CH4 transport in wetland plants under controlled environmental conditions \u2013 separating the impacts of phenology from environmental variables", "description": "Abstract Background and AimsMethane (CH4) fluxes at peatland plant surfaces are net results of transport of soil-produced CH4 and within-plant CH4 production and consumption, yet factors and processes controlling these fluxes remain unclear. We aimed to assess the effects of seasonality, environmental variables, and CH4 cycling microbes on CH4 fluxes from characteristic fen species.
MethodsFour species (Carex rostrata, Menyanthes trifoliata, Betula nana, Salix lapponum) were selected, and their CH4 fluxes determined in climate-controlled environments with three mesocosms per growing season per species. Microbial genes for CH4 cycling were analysed to check the potential for within-plant CH4 production and oxidation. Two extra experiments were conducted: removal of C. rostrata leaves to identify how leaves constrain CH4 transport, and a labelling experiment with S. lapponum to distinguish between plant-produced and soil-produced CH4 in the plant flux.
ResultsAll species showed seasonal variability in CH4 fluxes. Higher porewater CH4 concentration increased fluxes from C. rostrata and M. trifoliata, decreased fluxes from S. lapponum, and did not affect fluxes from B. nana. Air temperature only and negatively affected CH4 flux from C. rostrata. Light level did not impact CH4 fluxes. Both methanogens and methanotrophs were detected in shoots of S. lapponum and M. trifoliata, methanotrophs in B. nana, and neither in C. rostrata.
ConclusionOur study demonstrates that the seasonal phase of the plants regulates the CH4 fluxes they mediate across species. The detection of methanogens and methanotrophs in herbs and shrubs suggests that microbial processes may contribute to their CH4 fluxes.
", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "570", "0303 health sciences", "metanotrofit", "varvut", "Herbs", "11831 Plant biology", "metaani", "Environmental sciences", "Controlled environments", "Microbes", "03 medical and health sciences", "Phenology", "suot", "Plant-mediated CH fluxes", "suokasvillisuus", "Shrubs", "metanogeenit", "sarat"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10138/577327"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Plant%20and%20Soil", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10138/577327", "name": "item", "description": "10138/577327", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10138/577327"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-06-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "38159777", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:26:30Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2023-12-28", "title": "Plant-mediated CH4 exchange in wetlands: A review of mechanisms and measurement methods with implications for modelling", "description": "Plant-mediated CH4 transport (PMT) is the dominant pathway through which soil-produced CH4 can escape into the atmosphere and thus plays an important role in controlling ecosystem CH4 emission. PMT is affected by abiotic and biotic factors simultaneously, and the effects of biotic factors, such as the dominant plant species and their traits, can override the effects of abiotic factors. Increasing evidence shows that plant-mediated CH4 fluxes include not only PMT, but also within-plant CH4 production and oxidation due to the detection of methanogens and methanotrophs attached to the shoots. Despite the inter-species and seasonal differences, and the probable contribution of within-plant microbes to total plant-mediated CH4 exchange (PME), current process-based ecosystem models only estimate PMT based on the bulk biomass or leaf area index of aerenchymatous plants. We highlight five knowledge gaps to which more research efforts should be devoted. First, large between-species variation, even within the same family, complicates general estimation of PMT, and calls for further work on the key dominant species in different types of wetlands. Second, the interface (rhizosphere-root, root-shoot, or leaf-atmosphere) and plant traits controlling PMT remain poorly documented, but would be required for generalizations from species to relevant functional groups. Third, the main environmental controls of PMT across species remain uncertain. Fourth, the role of within-plant CH4 production and oxidation is poorly quantified. Fifth, the simplistic description of PMT in current process models results in uncertainty and potentially high errors in predictions of the ecosystem CH4 flux. Our review suggest that flux measurements should be conducted over multiple growing seasons and be paired with trait assessment and microbial analysis, and that trait-based models should be developed. Only then we are capable to accurately estimate plant-mediated CH4 emissions, and eventually ecosystem total CH4 emissions at both regional and global scales.", "keywords": ["Drivers", "330", "Plants", "Carbon Dioxide", "metaani", "Modelling", "Processes", "Soil", "Wetland plants", "Wetlands", "Mechanisms", "suot", "suokasvillisuus", "Plant CH4 transport", "Biomass", "Methane", "Ecosystem"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/38159777"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Science%20of%20The%20Total%20Environment", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "38159777", "name": "item", "description": "38159777", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/38159777"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-03-01T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=suokasvillisuus&f=json", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "title": "This document as HTML", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=suokasvillisuus&f=html", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection URL", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"type": "application/geo+json", "rel": "first", "title": "items (first)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=suokasvillisuus&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=suokasvillisuus&offset=4", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 4, "numberReturned": 4, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-07-27T07:58:41.373312Z"}