Question: What are some important sources of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide? Are their concentrations related?

Important sources of carbon dioxide include fossil fuel combustion, plant and animal respiration, and ocean-atmosphere exchange. Sources of methane include natural gas, wetlands, livestock, and landfills. Sources of nitrous oxide include agriculture, manure, industrial processes and waste management practices.

To determine whether or not the concentrations are related, open the Climate Trends learning tool. Turn on the carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide datasets. By clicking on the tabs, select the different gases and look at their concentrations. Are they related? Note that they tend to rise and fall at similar times.