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

湿地生态系统是甲烷的最大天然来源，甲烷是一种强大而持久的温室气体。北方纬度地区的湿地土壤比温带和热带地区的土壤变暖更快。需要了解这些北方湿地生态系统在当前和未来气候中的影响和反馈。要做到这一点，只能通过将新开发的在地方规模上测量和量化甲烷排放过程的技术与从地方研究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，并利用跨越北方四个气候带的五个经过充分研究的研究地点的甲烷排放量的长期现有数据。此外，该项目还将利用从几颗卫星收集的远北广大地区遥感数据中得出的环境和气候变量。使用独特的缩放方法，将确定北方湿地的排放量，以便进行全球分析。该项目将采用新的测量技术，使全球范围内的甲烷排放量得到更准确的表示。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专业发展机会。这些博士后研究人员将成长，不仅作为跨学科的科学家，而且作为导师和参与社区合作伙伴。通过一系列的机会，博士后研究人员将发展研究，沟通，领导和指导技能。与本科生北方生态系统研究项目（NSF REU网站）的合作伙伴关系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进行夏季研究。

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.