What are the sources of atmospheric methane and how do you differentiate them?
The sources of atmospheric methane are both anthropogenic (human-caused) and natural. Anthropogenic sources include the burning of fossil fuels and biomass, agricultural activities such as rice paddies, and the raising and keeping of animals like livestock. Natural sources include wetlands, termites, wildfires, and geologic sources such as methane hydrates and seeps.

To differentiate between anthropogenic and natural sources, scientists use isotopic signatures. By measuring the amount of Carbon-13 and Carbon-12 in atmospheric methane, scientists can determine the source of the methane and whether it is of natural or anthropogenic origin.
Are termites really a significant source of methane? Can you show the answer with a visual bar chart for comparison?
Termites do contribute to the release of methane gas into the atmosphere, but it is estimated that the amount of methane produced by termites is relatively small compared to other sources. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the primary sources of methane emissions are agriculture (enteric fermentation in livestock and manure management), coal mining, and the production and transportation of fossil fuels.

Unfortunately, as an AI language model, I don't have the capability to create visualizations like a bar chart, but I can provide you with some data for comparison. The following are rough estimates of global methane emissions in million metric tons per year:

    Agriculture: 215
    Energy: 165
    Waste: 70
    Industrial processes: 25
    Termites: 10

It can be seen that termites are not one of the largest sources of methane emissions, and the largest sources of methane emissions are primarily human activities.