ATMOSPHERIC METHANE BUDGET IN AFRICA

This assessment of the atmospheric methane budget for the African Continent is based on a set of experimental data obtained in tropical Africa including methane emission from various biogenic sources, and biomass burning, and methane consumption in savanna and forest soils. Emission rates from the various sources, uptake rates of soils, and complementary data from the literature allow calculation of regional methane fluxes by means of different data bases. Biomass burning, animals and natural wetlands are the three dominant sources of methane in Africa while rice paddy fields and termites appear as minor sources. The total methane emission is estimated to be in the range 20 - 40 MT of CH4 per year, methane uptake by soils being less than 2 MT per year. Net methane emission from the African continent accounts for less than 10% of global emissions from terrestrial ecosystems.