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Optimized wetland rewetting strategies can control methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen responses to water table fluctuations

Zhao, Bingqian LU ; Zhang, Wenxin LU orcid ; Wang, Peiyan ; Gustafson, Adrian LU ; Jørgensen, Christian J. and Elberling, Bo (2026) In Communications Earth and Environment 7(1).
Abstract

Rewetting is widely promoted as a climate mitigation strategy to preserve soil carbon in drained wetlands, although rewetting may enhance methane production and corresponding emissions. The increase in methane emissions following rewetting might be underestimated without considering near-surface methane oxidation under a fluctuating water table. Here, we refined the methane module in Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator with high-affinity methane oxidation and oxygen parameterization involving water table fluctuations. During 2007-2023, the Danish temperate wetland site functioned as a carbon dioxide sink (−41 gC-CO2m-2yr⁻1) and a methane source (0.71... (More)

Rewetting is widely promoted as a climate mitigation strategy to preserve soil carbon in drained wetlands, although rewetting may enhance methane production and corresponding emissions. The increase in methane emissions following rewetting might be underestimated without considering near-surface methane oxidation under a fluctuating water table. Here, we refined the methane module in Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator with high-affinity methane oxidation and oxygen parameterization involving water table fluctuations. During 2007-2023, the Danish temperate wetland site functioned as a carbon dioxide sink (−41 gC-CO2m-2yr⁻1) and a methane source (0.71 gC-CH4m⁻2yr⁻1), with significant declines in seasonal amplitudes of methane flux, net ecosystem exchange, and gross primary productivity. Scenario analysis shows maintaining a stable water table at 9 cm depth offers the optimal trade-off between carbon sequestration and methane release. Our findings reduce the uncertainty in wetland methane estimates under climate change and highlight the importance of site-specific rewetting strategies to optimize mitigation efforts.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Communications Earth and Environment
volume
7
issue
1
article number
109
publisher
Springer Nature
external identifiers
  • scopus:105029032412
ISSN
2662-4435
DOI
10.1038/s43247-025-03163-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e2506e33-96de-4dd4-a801-ea4c21859a51
date added to LUP
2026-02-16 15:19:37
date last changed
2026-02-16 16:45:26
@article{e2506e33-96de-4dd4-a801-ea4c21859a51,
  abstract     = {{<p>Rewetting is widely promoted as a climate mitigation strategy to preserve soil carbon in drained wetlands, although rewetting may enhance methane production and corresponding emissions. The increase in methane emissions following rewetting might be underestimated without considering near-surface methane oxidation under a fluctuating water table. Here, we refined the methane module in Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator with high-affinity methane oxidation and oxygen parameterization involving water table fluctuations. During 2007-2023, the Danish temperate wetland site functioned as a carbon dioxide sink (−41 gC-CO<sub>2</sub>m<sup>-2</sup>yr⁻<sup>1</sup>) and a methane source (0.71 gC-CH<sub>4</sub>m⁻<sup>2</sup>yr⁻<sup>1</sup>), with significant declines in seasonal amplitudes of methane flux, net ecosystem exchange, and gross primary productivity. Scenario analysis shows maintaining a stable water table at 9 cm depth offers the optimal trade-off between carbon sequestration and methane release. Our findings reduce the uncertainty in wetland methane estimates under climate change and highlight the importance of site-specific rewetting strategies to optimize mitigation efforts.</p>}},
  author       = {{Zhao, Bingqian and Zhang, Wenxin and Wang, Peiyan and Gustafson, Adrian and Jørgensen, Christian J. and Elberling, Bo}},
  issn         = {{2662-4435}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Springer Nature}},
  series       = {{Communications Earth and Environment}},
  title        = {{Optimized wetland rewetting strategies can control methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen responses to water table fluctuations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-03163-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s43247-025-03163-7}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}