Effect of Methane from Natural Gas Hydrate Decomposition on Marine Life

doi:10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2022.034

Abstract

Abstract:

With changing seabed environment and the intensification of global warming, more natural gas hydrates have decomposed and released large amount of methane into the oceans. Some of the methane would ascend through the seawater and enter the atmosphere, which would increase the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration, and thereby exacerbate global warming. From the perspective of methane release and migration pathways, the direct/indirect effects of methane on marine life are elucidated and summarized: (1) hydrates decompose to release methane, which is an indispensable compound in lifeform formation. This provides energy and material for autotrophic microorganisms, and supplies the food base of cold-spring biota. This maintains cold-spring biota based on a food chain of chemoautotrophic bacteria, which multiply in the cold-spring ecosystem; (2) some of the methane gas would diffuse and dissolve in the seawater, which causes seawater acidification. Seawater acidification would both affect the biosynthesis of calcium carbonate shells (calcification) and accelerate the shell dissolution; (3) as a strong greenhouse gas, the released methane in the atmosphere would exacerbate global warming. In addition, the melting of the polar permafrost would also release large amount of methane into the atmosphere, which generates an adverse cycle. The warming of seawater would affect the survival, metabolism, reproduction, development and immune response of marine life and other biological activities. Our findings provide important reference for future research on the impact of methane on marine ecosystem.

Key words: natural gas hydrate, methane, marine life, ocean acidification, ocean warming

CLC Number:

P745

GUO Zihao, LI Canping, CHEN Fengying, GOU Limin, WANG Hongtao, ZENG Xianjun, LIU Yilin, TIAN Xinyu. Effect of Methane from Natural Gas Hydrate Decomposition on Marine Life[J]. Geoscience, 2023, 37(01): 138-152.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig.1 Seismic profile of Line 2 in the survey area in the South China Sea [16]

Fig.2 Releasing mode of gas hydrate[4]

Table 1 Parameters for in-situ observations on gas hydrates dissociation [4,26?-28]

区域	中心区经纬度	水深/m	气泡半径/mm	甲烷通量
墨西哥湾	92°W, 27.5°N	550~600	2.4~6.0	2305 μmol/ (m·d)(平均)
新西兰	178.2°E, 40.1°S	630~1000	3.0~4.5	3746 mmol/ min(单孔)
黑海	32°W, 44.9°N	70~112	5.2	23.91 mmol/ min(单孔)

Fig.3 Variation in atmospheric methane concentrations from 2008 to 2011(modified from Glikson et al.[29];1 mb=100 Pa)

Fig.4 Release and migration pathways of methane

Fig.5 Distribution of major cold seeps in the world(modified from Suess et al.[35,37])

Fig.6 Structure and food chain characteristics of the cold spring chemical energy autotrophic ecosystem[39]

Fig.7 Comparison photos of normal shells((a)-(d)) and acidified shells((e)-(h))[52]

Fig.8 Photo of coral bleaching[66]

Fig.9 Effect of pH and temperature on the absorption rate of coral nutrients [76]

Fig.10 Variation comparison of Antarctic krill in different body length groups under temperature gradient[91]

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