ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Seasonal Measurement of Greenhouse
Gas Concentrations and Emissions Along
the Longitudinal Profile of a Small Stream
Václav Mach1, Adam Bednařík1, Lubomír Čáp2, Jan Šipoš1, Martin Rulík1
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1Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Palacky University, Faculty of Science,
Šlechtitelů 11, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
2Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science,
Palacky University Tř. 17. Listopadu 1192/12, CZ-771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
Submission date: 2015-03-27
Final revision date: 2016-02-02
Acceptance date: 2016-02-02
Publication date: 2016-10-05
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2016;25(5):2047-2056
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ABSTRACT
In order to find out whether streams might be a major source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, our
investigation sought to determine the total emissions of CH4, CO2, and N2O from the surface water of a small
stream. Over a period of a year we used floating chambers to measure gas emissions along the longitudinal
profile of Sitka Stream (Czech Republic). Additionally, we measured gas concentrations of surface and
interstitial waters. We found that interstitial and surface waters were supersaturated by all monitored gases –
especially by CH4 – and that the stream is a significant emitter of these greenhouse gases. The concentrations
and the emission rates of all three gases were higher in the downstream part than upstream. In the case of CH4
the majority of total annual emissions (90%) was released from the most downstream section, representing
only 1/5 of the stream’s total surface area (0.18 km2). The majority of CH4 and CO2 emissions were released
during warmer periods of the year and the highest N2O emissions from Sitka were recorded during summer
and winter. The total annual emissions of CH4, CO2, and N2O into the atmosphere from the water’s surface
were estimated to be 0.6 t, 210 t, and 0.2 t, respectively. After conversion of the greenhouse gas emissions
to CO2 equivalents using a calculation by IPCC, CO2 accounts for the majority of total annual emissions of
greenhouse gases (70.1%), with the second being N2O (22.7%), and the last CH4 (7.2%) for a 100-year time
horizon. This work brings worthwhile data of greenhouse gas emissions and concentrations from a small
water stream based on seasonal measurements along the longitudinal profile.