{"title":"A desiccating saline lake bed is a significant source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.oneear.2024.07.001","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Saline lake desiccation is widespread and typically caused by anthropogenic withdrawals for agricultural, industrial, and municipal uses, but its impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is unknown. While dry-flux studies have shown that desiccating waterbodies emit carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) from exposed sediments, these studies are often seasonal and for freshwater systems, limiting their application to chronically desiccating saline lakes. We measured CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions (April to November, 2020) from the exposed sediments of Great Salt Lake (Utah, United States), and compared them with aquatic emissions estimates to determine the anthropogenic emissions associated with desiccation. In 2020, the lake bed emitted 4.1 million tons of CO<sub>2eq</sub> to the atmosphere, primarily (94%) as CO<sub>2</sub>, constituting a ∼7% increase to Utah’s anthropogenic GHG emissions. As climate change exacerbates drought in arid regions, anthropogenic desiccation and associated climate feedbacks should be considered in assessments of global GHG trajectories as well as local GHG emissions reduction efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":52366,"journal":{"name":"One Earth","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":15.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"One Earth","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.07.001","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Saline lake desiccation is widespread and typically caused by anthropogenic withdrawals for agricultural, industrial, and municipal uses, but its impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is unknown. While dry-flux studies have shown that desiccating waterbodies emit carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) from exposed sediments, these studies are often seasonal and for freshwater systems, limiting their application to chronically desiccating saline lakes. We measured CO2 and CH4 emissions (April to November, 2020) from the exposed sediments of Great Salt Lake (Utah, United States), and compared them with aquatic emissions estimates to determine the anthropogenic emissions associated with desiccation. In 2020, the lake bed emitted 4.1 million tons of CO2eq to the atmosphere, primarily (94%) as CO2, constituting a ∼7% increase to Utah’s anthropogenic GHG emissions. As climate change exacerbates drought in arid regions, anthropogenic desiccation and associated climate feedbacks should be considered in assessments of global GHG trajectories as well as local GHG emissions reduction efforts.
One EarthEnvironmental Science-Environmental Science (all)
CiteScore
18.90
自引率
1.90%
发文量
159
期刊介绍:
One Earth, Cell Press' flagship sustainability journal, serves as a platform for high-quality research and perspectives that contribute to a deeper understanding and resolution of contemporary sustainability challenges. With monthly thematic issues, the journal aims to bridge gaps between natural, social, and applied sciences, along with the humanities. One Earth fosters the cross-pollination of ideas, inspiring transformative research to address the complexities of sustainability.