The emission of methane: ideology and methodology of «Standard model» for Western Siberia

Abstract

The “standard model” consist on a) typical empirical distributions of CH 4 emission for main wetland landscapes in each natural zone of Western Siberia; b) durations of “period of CH 4-emission” (Tundra - 103 days, Forest-Tundra - 120 days, Northern Taiga - 138 days, Middle Taiga - 166 days, Southern Taiga - 172 days, Subtaiga - 193 days, and Forested steppe - 201 days); c) areas of different wetland types in each zone. For accounting future improvements we denominate this model by the code, for example: “Aa1” (first letter denominate the used period of CH 4-emission, second letter - the used areas of wetlands, and third - typical values of methane flux). New estimation of the regional methane emission from West Siberian wetlands (4.9 ± 2.3 Тg/year or 3.7 ± 1.7 ТgС/year) was calculated from “standard model” Aa1.