Abstract
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and is expected to contribute nearly 18% of the total global warming during the present half-century. Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane. Kerala has a total of 127,930 ha of wetland area. Measurements show that methane fluxes from Kerala's coastal lakes have decreased during the past decade. This could be due to the reduction in coconut husk retting activity in these lakes. Results of methane flux measurements from some of the coastal lakes in Kerala and statistics relating to the quantity of husk retted are reported and discussed here.
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