Methane Emissions in Upland Forests

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, about 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide, and with some estimates as high as 33 times stronger due to its effects when it is in the atmosphere. A new study from the University of Delaware, published recently in the scientific journal Ecosystems, is one of the first in the world to show that tree trunks in upland forests can act as sources of methane to the atmosphere. Rodrigo Vargas, assistant professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences in UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), serves as the principal investigator for the project and Daniel Warner, a doctoral level student in CANR, is the lead author on the paper.