Fig. 4: Characteristics of methane (CH4) fluxes in marshland and non-marshland areas across the Tibetan alpine permafrost region during the historical period and under different future climate scenarios.
From: Spatiotemporal patterns of methane fluxes across alpine permafrost region on the Tibetan Plateau
During the historical period, non-marshlands acted as CH4 sinks, while marshlands served as CH4 sources. Overall, the region functioned as a weak net CH4 sink. Under future climate change, CH4 emissions from marshlands are projected to exceed CH4 sink by non-marshlands throughout the twenty-first century under the low- and medium-emission scenarios (SSP1-2.6 and SSP2-4.5), shifting the region from a marginal CH4 sink to a net source. Under the intermediate-high and high-emission scenarios (SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5), the region is projected to become a net CH4 source by the mid-twenty-first century. Notably, this net CH4 source is expected to decline in the latter half of the century, eventually transitioning back to a CH4 sink by 2100.
