The carbon cycle in wetlands and its relationship to global change

The carbon storage in global wetlands accounts for 15% of the total terrestrial carbon storage. Wetland soils and peat are long-term reservoirs for carbon. In terms of greenhouse gases (GHGs), wetlands can be either sources or sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Therefore, wetlands have great impacts on global climate change. On the other hand, global climate change such as temperature warming or sea level increase can also result in wetland degradation and extinction. In this paper, the carbon storage and carbon cycle in wetlands are discussed. The role of wetlands in serving as pool, sink, or source of carbon are considered for mitigating climate change. The influences of natural factors and human activities on carbon cycle in wetlands are presented and the relationship of wetlands to global climate change is analyzed.