Greenhouse gases in reservoirsFrom watersheds to functional genes

Abstract

Overall, this dissertation contributed to the global inventory of GHG fluxes from reservoirs in the Mediterranean biome, and we showed the great variability at inter-system, inter-season, and daily scales of the fluxes, which must be considered in GHG estimates at global scale. Our results also indicate that future construction of reservoirs may reduce their radiative forcing by selecting optimal locations with siliceous bedrock, in forestal landscapes, and deep canyons. We demonstrated that eutrophication promotes the production of methane and nitrous oxide, and, therefore, increases the radiative forcing of the reservoirs. Thus, the reduction of N and P loading into inland waters may prevent water resources degradation, and reduce the GHG emissions from the already constructed reservoirs.