Name
Methane Emissions from a Permafrost Wetland in the Outer Mackenzie River Delta
Date & Time
Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 2:15 PM - 2:30 PM
Description
The Mackenzie River Delta in the Northwest Territories is the Arctic’s second largest river delta and is experiencing rapid climate warming. The region is of particular concern with regard methane emissions because methane "hotspots” have been detected by multiple aerial surveys. The methane emissions are hypothesized to be attributable to both geologic methane seeps (diffuse emissions and point sources) and to biologic methane emissions from its expansive wetland areas. An eddy covariance station was installed at "Swiss Cheese Lake", a representative sedge wetland site in the outer delta to measure carbon dioxide and methane fluxes. Preliminary results from observations spanning the two measurement campaigns 2024 (DOY 207-252) and 2025 (DOY 215-270) show mean non-gap-filled methane fluxes were 285 nmol CH4 m-2 s-1 [CI95% 3.4] while with mean gap-filled carbon dioxide fluxes were -1.2 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1 [CI95% 0.3]. The methane fluxes are above what has been observed at comparable arctic sites, while the carbon dioxide fluxes are high but within the range of what has been observed at those comparable sites. We will present analysis of the factors driving methane emissions at this site and a discussion of ongoing work to understand biogenic and geogenic methane emissions in the Mackenzie Delta region.
Location Name
DSU 224
Full Address
Dalhousie University
Halifax NS
Canada
Session Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract ID
207
Speaker Organization
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Session Name
B4 (1 of 2)
Co-authors
Peter Morse, Natural Resources Canada (co author, not co-presenter)
Presenting Author
June Skeeter, Natural Resources Canada