An optimized water table depth detected for mitigating global warming potential of greenhouse gas emissions in wetland of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Jiang Zhang,
Huai Chen,
Meng Wang,
Xinwei Liu,
Changhui Peng,
Le Wang,
Dongxue Yu,
Qiuan Zhu
Affiliations
Jiang Zhang
College of Geography and Remote Sensing, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Huai Chen
Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Meng Wang
Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Xinwei Liu
Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Changhui Peng
Institute of Environment Sciences, Department of Biology Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Case Postale 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada; School of Geography Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Le Wang
College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Dongxue Yu
College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Qiuan Zhu
College of Geography and Remote Sensing, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; National Earth System Science Data Center, National Science & Technology Infrastructure of China, Beijing 100101, China; Corresponding author
Summary: Climate change and human activities have intensified variations of water table depth (WTD) in wetlands around the world, which may strongly affect greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we analyzed how emissions of CO2, CH4, and N2O from the Zoige wetland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) vary with the WTD. Our data indicate that the wetland shows net positive global warming potential (11.72 tCO2-e ha−1 yr−1), and its emissions of greenhouse gases are driven primarily by WTD. Our analysis suggests that an optimal WTD exists, which at our study site was approximately 18 cm, for mitigating increases in global warming potential from the wetland. Our study provides insights into how climate change and human acitivies affect greenhouse gas emissions from alpine wetlands, and they suggest that water table management may be effective at mitigating future increases in emissions.
