Collaborative Research: Investigating Northern Peatland Methane Dynamics by Synthesizing Measurements, Remote Sensing and Modeling from Local to Regional to Continental Scales

湿地生态系统是向大气排放甲烷的最大自然来源，甲烷是一种强有力的、持久的温室气体。北纬地区的湿地土壤比温带和热带地区的土壤变暖更快。需要了解这些北部湿地生态系统对当前和未来气候的影响和反馈。要做到这一点，可能只能通过将新开发的在地方范围内测量和量化甲烷排放过程的技术与从地方研究扩展到区域和大陆的建模工作联系起来。该项目将收集新的测量数据，并利用来自五个经过充分研究的研究点的甲烷排放的长期现有数据，这些研究点横跨四个北部气候带。此外，该项目将使用环境和气候变量，这些变量是从几颗卫星在遥远北方广大地区收集的遥感数据中得出的。使用一种独特的尺度方法，将确定北部湿地的排放量，以便进行全球分析。该项目将采用新的测量技术，在全球范围内更准确地表示甲烷排放量。除了该项目的科学影响外，它还将为本科生和博士后研究人员提供职业发展机会。这些博士后研究人员将会成长，不仅是作为跨学科的科学家，也是导师和积极参与的社区合作伙伴。通过一系列机会，博士后研究人员将发展研究、沟通、领导和指导技能。与北方本科生生态系统研究项目(NSF REU的一个网站)的合作将使博士后研究人员能够在项目主任的指导下，指导两名本科生的夏季研究经验。

Wetland ecosystems are the largest natural source of methane, a potent and long lasting greenhouse gas, to the atmosphere. Wetland soils in northern latitudes are warming faster than those in temperate and tropical regions. An understanding of the influence and feedback that these northern wetland ecosystems play in the present and future climate is needed. Accomplishing this may only be done through linking newly developed technologies that measure and quantify the processes of methane emissions on a local scale with modeling efforts that scale from local studies to the region and continent. This project will collect new measurements and leverage long-term existing data on methane emissions from five well-studied research sites that span four northern climate zones. In addition, the project will use environmental and climate variables developed from remote sensing data collected by several satellites over vast areas of the far north. Using a unique scaling approach, the emissions from northern wetlands will be determined so that a global analysis can be performed. This project will implement new measurement technologies and enable more accurate representation of methane emissions on a global scale.In addition to the scientific impacts of this project, it will also provide professional development opportunities for both undergraduate students and postdoctoral researchers. These postdoctoral researchers will grow, not only as interdisciplinary scientists, but also as mentors and engaged community partners. Through a series of opportunities, the postdoctoral researchers will develop research, communication, leadership and mentoring skills. A partnership with the Northern Ecosystems Research for Undergraduates program (an NSF REU site) will enable the postdoctoral researchers to mentor two undergraduates in summer research experiences, under the guidance of the program director.