Marsh gas

The surface of marshes, swamps, and bogs is initially porous vegetation that rots to form a crust that prevents oxygen from reaching the organic material trapped below.

It is a major mechanism for gas exchange in freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems and is known to peak during the daytime and at warm temperatures.

It has been reported that ebullition is responsible for 45% of the annual methane flux for fresh water marshes[3] and that it is more important in the summer months during the daytime and can also be triggered by increased wind.

The gas transport system works by gaseous diffusion that occurs through the leaf blades and then moves down into the furthest tips of the plant roots.

This transport system is sufficient to supply all of the aerobic respiratory needs of the grass roots and also helps to aerate the surrounding mud.