Estimate of methane emissions from rice fields in China by climate-based net primary productivity

Rice fields provide food for over half of the world population but are also an important source of atmospheric CH4. Using the climate-based GIS empirical model and the meteorological data collected from 600 meteorological stations in China, with county as the basic unit, the net primary productivity (NPP) of rice fields in China in 1990, 1995, 1998, and 2000 were estimated to be in the range from 202.19×1012g C in 1990 to 163.46×1012g C in 2000. From the measured data of the factors affecting CH4 emission and NPP, the conversion ratio of the NPP into CH4 emission for the rice fields of China was determined to be 1.8%. Using this ratio and estimated NPP, the CH4 emissions from rice fields of China in 1990, 1995, 1998, and 2000 were estimated to be 7.24×1012, 6.31×1012, 6.77×1012 and 5.85×1012g CH4, respectively.