Spatial and temporal variation of methane emissions in drained eutrophic peat agro-ecosystems: drainage ditches as emission hotspots

Abstract. Our research investigates the spatial and temporal variability of methane (CH₄) emissions in two drained eutrophic peat areas (one intensively managed and the other less intensively managed) and the correlation between CH₄ emissions and soil temperature, air temperature, soil moisture content and water table. We stratified the landscape into landscape elements that represent different conditions in terms of topography and therefore differ in moisture conditions. There was great spatial variability in the fluxes in both areas; the ditches and ditch edges (together 27% of the landscape) were methane hotspots whereas the dry fields had the smallest fluxes. In the intensively managed site the fluxes were significantly higher by comparison with the less intensively managed site. In all the landscape element elements the best explanatory variable for CH₄ emission was temperature. Neither soil moisture content nor water table correlated significantly with CH₄ emissions, except in April, where soil moisture was the best explanatory variable.