Cold-Temperate Mountainous Freshwater Produces Methane by Algal Metabolism

Abstract

We reported important environmental drivers of dissolved CH₄ concentrations (d-CH₄) in nutrient-limited mountainous freshwater in a cold-temperate region and explored the potential for multiple known oxic CH₄ production pathways. Field investigation revealed consistent supersaturated d-CH₄ in surface water (relative to the theoretical value of d-CH₄ at atmospheric equilibrium), with significant seasonal variations. Statistical analysis highlighted the direct impact of algal dynamics and the indirect effect of temperature and nutrients on d-CH₄. Further lab-scale incubation demonstrated that CH₄ production decreased by 55.25 to 93.65% with algae removal, while it increased 4 to 10 times with methylphosphonate (MPn) amendment. These findings argued that CH₄ produced from algal metabolism related to MPn had a high potential for supersaturated d-CH₄. It also verified the pivotal role of cyanobacteria in this mechanism, with temperature and light acting as regulatory factors. Through highlighting the role of algae for CH₄ characteristics in cold-temperate mountainous freshwater and proposing the potential of oxic CH₄ production through MPn metabolism in nutrient-limited lakes, this study enriches comprehension of aquatic CH₄ cycle and warns about the importance of preserving environmental balance in freshwater with minimal human disturbance.