Identifying scale‐emergent, nonlinear, asynchronous processes of wetland methane exchange

Abstract Methane (CH 4 ) exchange in wetlands is complex, involving nonlinear asynchronous processes across diverse time scales. These processes and time scales are poorly characterized at the whole‐ecosystem level, yet are crucial for accurate representation of CH 4 exchange in process models. We used a combination of wavelet analysis and information theory to analyze interactions between whole‐ecosystem CH 4 flux and biophysical drivers in two restored wetlands of Northern California from hourly to seasonal time scales, explicitly questioning assumptions of linear, synchronous, single‐scale analysis. Although seasonal variability in CH 4 exchange was dominantly and synchronously controlled by soil temperature, water table fluctuations, and plant activity were important synchronous and asynchronous controls at shorter time scales that propagated to the seasonal scale. Intermittent, subsurface water table decline promoted short‐term pulses of methane emission but ultimately decreased seasonal CH 4 emission through subsequent inhibition after rewetting. Methane efflux also shared information with evapotranspiration from hourly to multiday scales and the strength and timing of hourly and diel interactions suggested the strong importance of internal gas transport in regulating short‐term emission. Traditional linear correlation analysis was generally capable of capturing the major diel and seasonal relationships, but mesoscale, asynchronous interactions and nonlinear, cross‐scale effects were unresolved yet important for a deeper understanding of methane flux dynamics. We encourage wider use of these methods to aid interpretation and modeling of long‐term continuous measurements of trace gas and energy exchange.