Methane from Some Wetlands May Lower Benefits of Carbon Sequestration plus 1 more

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Title: USGS Newsroom

Methane from Some Wetlands May Lower Benefits of Carbon Sequestration plus 1 more

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Methane from Some Wetlands May Lower Benefits of Carbon Sequestration

Posted: 11 Apr 2016 10:00 AM PDT

Summary: Sacramento, Calif. – Methane emissions from restored wetlands may offset the benefits of carbon sequestration a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey suggests. Wetlands are known to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide through plant photosynthesis and also provide habitat and food sources for wildlife, act as biological filters for improving water quality and improve coastal protection in the face of sea level rise. What is not well understood is how wetland production of other more potent greenhouses gases like methane offset these benefits. Results from the new study show that restored wetlands can release enough methane to reduce or even negate the benefits the same wetlands offer of carbon sequestration.

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Contact Information:

Donyelle  Davis ( Phone: 626-202-2393 ); Laurel Rogers ( Phone: 619-225-6104 );

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Sacramento, Calif. – Methane emissions from restored wetlands may offset the benefits of carbon sequestration a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey suggests. Wetlands are known to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide through plant photosynthesis and also provide habitat and food sources for wildlife, act as biological filters for improving water quality and improve coastal protection in the face of sea level rise. What is not well understood is how wetland production of other more potent greenhouses gases like methane offset these benefits. Results from the new study show that restored wetlands can release enough methane to reduce or even negate the benefits the same wetlands offer of carbon sequestration.

In the study, USGS, California Water Science Center Hydrologist Frank Anderson and a team of scientists collected data in 2002-2003 and 2010-2011 to estimate trends of carbon fluxes from restored wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. From measuring wind speeds and gas concentrations, and computing photosynthesis and respiration rates, they concluded that carbon dioxide uptake decreased between the two sampling periods, while carbon dioxide respiration and methane emissions remained relatively consistent. Results show that the restored wetlands were a small source of carbon in 2010-2011. However, given the potency of methane as a strong greenhouse gas, the wetlands will likely be long-term sources of global warming potential.

The research presented in this study is both important and timely as policy makers consider restoring wetlands not only for their environmental potential, but also their economic value for cap-and-trade carbon offset programs. Although the USGS study design was unique to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta restored wetlands and may not necessarily represent potential emissions in other restorative wetland designs, the study emphasizes the need for continual monitoring of restored wetlands when evaluating their long term impacts. 

The study, first published in the “Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences,” was featured as a “Research Spotlight” on the American Geophysical Union’s Earth & Space Science News website. “Variation of energy and carbon fluxes from a restored temperate freshwater wetland and implications for carbon market verification protocols” is available online.

To learn more about USGS Water Science, please visit the USGS Water Resources of the United States website or the USGS California Water Science Center website.

New Campaign Urges Earthquake Preparedness In Quake-Prone Southern California

Posted: 11 Apr 2016 09:00 AM PDT

Summary: Los Angeles, Calif. – The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA) today announced a new campaign to provide Southern Californians with critical earthquake preparedness information. The campaign, which begins today, will run throughout earthquake preparedness month - recognized during April - and will educate residents by displaying quake safety messages on digital billboards donated by CCOA. Digital billboards are regularly used to relay critical public safety information during emergencies, including AMBER alerts, FBI Most Wanted notices, and messaging from local police and fire departments.  

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USGS and Clear Channel Outdoor Americas Partner to Bring Vital Earthquake Safety Information to the Public During this Year’s Earthquake Preparedness Month

Contact Information:

Dagny  Akeyson, CCO ( Phone: 949-412-4298 ); Donyelle  Davis, USGS ( Phone: 626-202-2393 );

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Los Angeles, Calif. – The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA) today announced a new campaign to provide Southern Californians with critical earthquake preparedness information. The campaign, which begins today, will run throughout earthquake preparedness month - recognized during April - and will educate residents by displaying quake safety messages on digital billboards donated by CCOA. Digital billboards are regularly used to relay critical public safety information during emergencies, including AMBER alerts, FBI Most Wanted notices, and messaging from local police and fire departments.  

April is Earthquake Preparedness Month, are you ready? Click for full PDF version.

“We’re urging Californians to ask themselves an important question this April: ‘If an earthquake strikes today, would I be prepared?” said Kate Scharer, USGS research geologist. “We’ve teamed up with Clear Channel Outdoor to not only focus on earthquake preparedness; but also how science informs preparedness and resilience for residents across the Southland. By placing these messages on digital billboards region-wide we can increase the number of Californians who will be able to answer ‘yes’ when asked if they’re prepared for a quake.”

Southern California has the highest earthquake risk of any region in the United States. Not only is the area bisected by the San Andreas Fault, which is capable of producing very large quakes, but it is also crisscrossed by many other faults capable of producing large and damaging tremors.

“We live in a high-risk region, yet we often forget that the next big earthquake could be right around the corner. During this year’s Earthquake Preparedness Month, we are urging residents to take action and prepare by planning ahead and arming themselves with knowledge,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitchell Englander, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, who represents Northridge, the epicenter of the 1994 earthquake. “I want to thank the USGS and Clear Channel Outdoor for bringing this important message to Angelenos and encouraging our communities to take proactive steps to protect themselves.”

The USGS and CCOA-led campaign will run throughout the Southland and will provide residents with the information needed to protect themselves during a quake, while also encouraging Southern Californians to engage in preparedness proactively to better safeguard themselves and their loved ones for the possibility of tremors in quake-prone Southern California.

“Clear Channel Outdoor Americas is proud to again join the USGS in urging the Southland community to prepare for tremors by prioritizing early preparedness and education,” said Layne Lawson, director of public affairs for Clear Channel Outdoor Americas. “Placing these messages on our digital billboards throughout Southern California will help guarantee more residents see the messages and are prepared in an emergency earthquake situation.”

CCOA frequently partners with public agencies and non-profits on efforts like this to ensure its resources are used to benefit the public. Digital signs have the unique ability to reach a wide audience while displaying messages in real-time, allowing them to act as valuable resources for non-profit organizations, public safety agencies, law enforcement and a variety of others who need to effectively relay messages to the public.

About the USGS

The USGS is a science organization that provides impartial information on the health of our ecosystems and environment, the natural hazards that threaten us, the natural resources we rely on, the impacts of climate and land-use change, and the core science systems that help us provide timely, relevant, and useable information.

About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc., (NYSE: CCO) is one of the world’s largest outdoor advertising companies, with more than 650,000 displays in over 35 countries across five continents, including 43 of the 50 largest markets in the United States. Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings offers many types of displays across its global platform to meet the advertising needs of its customers. This includes a growing digital platform that now offers over 1,050 digital billboards across 29 U.S. markets. Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings’ International segment operates in 22 countries across Asia, Australia and Europe in a wide variety of formats.  More information is available at www.clearchanneloutdoor.com and www.clearchannelinternational.com.