Balancing Methane and Carbon in Wetlands: Lessons from Natural and Constructed Systems
Zhiqi Xiong, MLWS 2025
As the global climate crisis intensifies, natural wetlands have emerged as potentially crucial allies in carbon management strategies, due to their substantial capacity to sequester and retain organic carbon. This study, therefore, seeks to investigate the ecological mechanisms by which peatlands, mangroves, and salt marshes maintain long-term carbon sinks, with particular focus on hydrological regulation, vegetation structure, and their responses to climate-induced disturbances. Synthesizing empirical and theoretical evidence, these findings suggest that stable water tables, vegetation with high lignin content, and predominantly anoxic soil environments slow decomposition and enhance carbon accumulation. Also significant in this context is that natural wetlands exhibit diverse responses to climate stressors. In temperate and subtropical zones, seasonal water table fluctuations often trigger pulses of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and aerobic respiration bursts. Rising temperatures can further accelerate microbial decomposition and amplify methane emissions, especially in water-saturated systems. The increasing vulnerability of high-risk wetlands needs further interpretive consideration, as thaw-induced methane surges suggest a reversal of their historic role as carbon sinks. By examining these dynamics across different climate zones and wetland types, the study points to the potential development of a transferable framework for assessing carbon sink resilience under future climate scenarios.
