Reviewed by Lexie CornerDec 16 2024
A recent study published in Scientific Reports by researchers from Dickinson College, led by Kristin Strock, highlights the potential role of glacial rivers and lakes in mitigating the effects of methane, a potent greenhouse gas released as glaciers melt and global temperatures rise.
The study investigated how glacier melt contributes to the release of trapped methane, which drives climate change. Strock, a 2019 National Geographic Explorer, led an all-female research team that included Dickinson students and scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and the U.S. Geological Survey. The team collected samples from four sites across three glaciers in Iceland.
The research found that microbes in lakes and streams can absorb significant amounts of methane released from beneath melting glaciers. This process, known as oxidation, may reduce atmospheric methane emissions by up to 53 %. Strock noted that studies exploring this phenomenon remain rare.
Studies that span the land, ice, water, and air are rare because it requires an interdisciplinary and full ecosystem kind of perspective. My co-researcher and former student, Rachel Krewson, proposed this study as part of her senior research thesis in environmental science. I am immensely proud of Rachel and our entire team of women researchers for doing this critical work in a field that is still male-dominated.
Kristin Strock, Associate Professor, Dickinson College
Strock's team's findings are significant for understanding the complex interactions between methane emissions, glacial systems, and climate change. Incorporating methane oxidation into estimates of glacial methane emissions could improve the accuracy of climate impact assessments related to melting glaciers.
The study was funded by the National Geographic Society, with additional support from the U.S. Geological Survey, The Churchill Exploration Fund, and the Dickinson College Research and Development Fund.
Journal Reference:
Strock, K. E., et al. (2024) Oxidation is a potentially significant methane sink in land-terminating glacial runoff. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-73041-3.