Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract Recent anthropogenic activities have degraded peatlands, the largest natural reservoir of soil carbon, thereby reducing their carbon uptake from the atmosphere. As one of the primary sources of methane (CH4) emissions in terrestrial ecosystems, peatlands also contribute to atmospheric green...
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| Format: | Article |
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Springer
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210072 |
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| author | Muhammad Rendana Wan Mohd Razi Idris Sahibin Abdul Rahim |
| author_facet | Muhammad Rendana Wan Mohd Razi Idris Sahibin Abdul Rahim |
| author_sort | Muhammad Rendana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Recent anthropogenic activities have degraded peatlands, the largest natural reservoir of soil carbon, thereby reducing their carbon uptake from the atmosphere. As one of the primary sources of methane (CH4) emissions in terrestrial ecosystems, peatlands also contribute to atmospheric greenhouse gases. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Indonesia implemented a lockdown referred to as large-scale social restrictions (LSSR) in areas with high case numbers. To evaluate the effects of anthropogenic activity on peatlands, we investigated the CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere above the tropical peatlands of the Indonesian province South Sumatra before the LSSR (March 2020), during the LSSR (May 2020), and during the corresponding months of the previous year (March and May 2019). Using satellite-retrieved data from NASA, viz., the CH4 concentration and gross primary production (GPP) measured by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on board Aqua and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Terra, respectively, we discovered a decrease of approximately 5.5% in the mean CH4 concentration (which averaged 1.73 ppm across the periods prior to lockdown) as well as an increase in the GPP (which ranged from 53.3 to 63.9 g C m−2 day−1 during the lockdown, indicating high atmospheric carbon intake) during the LSSR. Thus, the restrictions during lockdown, which reduced anthropogenic activities, such as land use conversion and biomass burning, and related events, such as peatland and forest fires, significantly influenced the level of atmospheric CH4 above the peatlands in Indonesia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3b94548a4ca9449fa07ba0f8c6cc9d20 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
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| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-3b94548a4ca9449fa07ba0f8c6cc9d202025-02-09T12:21:16ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092021-06-01211011010.4209/aaqr.210072Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 PandemicMuhammad Rendana0Wan Mohd Razi Idris1Sahibin Abdul Rahim2Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas SriwijayaDepartment of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaEnvironmental Science Program, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia SabahAbstract Recent anthropogenic activities have degraded peatlands, the largest natural reservoir of soil carbon, thereby reducing their carbon uptake from the atmosphere. As one of the primary sources of methane (CH4) emissions in terrestrial ecosystems, peatlands also contribute to atmospheric greenhouse gases. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Indonesia implemented a lockdown referred to as large-scale social restrictions (LSSR) in areas with high case numbers. To evaluate the effects of anthropogenic activity on peatlands, we investigated the CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere above the tropical peatlands of the Indonesian province South Sumatra before the LSSR (March 2020), during the LSSR (May 2020), and during the corresponding months of the previous year (March and May 2019). Using satellite-retrieved data from NASA, viz., the CH4 concentration and gross primary production (GPP) measured by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on board Aqua and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Terra, respectively, we discovered a decrease of approximately 5.5% in the mean CH4 concentration (which averaged 1.73 ppm across the periods prior to lockdown) as well as an increase in the GPP (which ranged from 53.3 to 63.9 g C m−2 day−1 during the lockdown, indicating high atmospheric carbon intake) during the LSSR. Thus, the restrictions during lockdown, which reduced anthropogenic activities, such as land use conversion and biomass burning, and related events, such as peatland and forest fires, significantly influenced the level of atmospheric CH4 above the peatlands in Indonesia.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210072Atmospheric CH4COVID-19Gross primary productionLSSRPeatland |
| spellingShingle | Muhammad Rendana Wan Mohd Razi Idris Sahibin Abdul Rahim Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic Aerosol and Air Quality Research Atmospheric CH4 COVID-19 Gross primary production LSSR Peatland |
| title | Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | atmospheric methane condition over the south sumatera peatland during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Atmospheric CH4 COVID-19 Gross primary production LSSR Peatland |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210072 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT muhammadrendana atmosphericmethaneconditionoverthesouthsumaterapeatlandduringthecovid19pandemic AT wanmohdraziidris atmosphericmethaneconditionoverthesouthsumaterapeatlandduringthecovid19pandemic AT sahibinabdulrahim atmosphericmethaneconditionoverthesouthsumaterapeatlandduringthecovid19pandemic |