Emission and oxidation of methane in a meromictic, eutrophic and temperate lake (Dendre, Belgium)

- The studied lake was meromictic and characterized by high methane, nutrients and sulfate concentrations in the water column.
- High aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidation rates were observed in the water column, and were dependent on the season.
- Anaerobic methane oxidation was linked to sulfate reduction, and potentially to nitrate reduction.
- Despite high methane oxidation rates, methane fluxes to the atmosphere were high.

We sampled the water column of the Dendre stone pit lake (Belgium) in spring, summer, autumn and winter. Depth profiles of several physico-chemical variables, nutrients, dissolved gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), sulfate, sulfide, iron and manganese concentrations and δ13C-CH4 were determined. We performed incubation experiments to quantify CH4 oxidation rates, with a focus on anaerobic CH4 oxidation (AOM), without and with an inhibitor of sulfate reduction (molybdate). The evolution of nitrate and sulfate concentrations during the incubations was monitored. The water column was anoxic below 20 m throughout the year, and was thermally stratified in summer and autumn. High partial pressure of CO2 and CH4 and high concentrations of ammonium and phosphate were observed in anoxic waters. Important nitrous oxide and nitrate concentration maxima were also observed (up to 440 nmol L−1 and 80 μmol L−1, respectively). Vertical profiles of δ13C-CH4 unambiguously showed the occurrence of AOM. Important AOM rates (up to 14 μmol L−1 d−1) were observed and often co-occurred with nitrate consumption peaks, suggesting the occurrence of AOM coupled with nitrate reduction. AOM coupled with sulfate reduction also occurred, since AOM rates tended to be lower when molybdate was added. CH4 oxidation was mostly aerobic (∼80% of total oxidation) in spring and winter, and almost exclusively anaerobic in summer and autumn. Despite important CH4 oxidation rates, the estimated CH4 fluxes from the water surface to the atmosphere were high (mean of 732 μmol m−2 d−1 in spring, summer and autumn, and up to 12,482 μmol m−2 d−1 in winter).