Search USGS⌕ Search
Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 70279467

Climate-smart wetlands can mitigate the wetland-methane feedback loop

Irena F. Creed·Emily A. Ury·Kenneth J. Anderson·Sheel Bansal·Pascal Badiou·Victoria Dombrowik·Philip B. Duffy·Vincent Gauci·Adam Gold·Meredith A. Holgerson·Bunyod Holmatov·Lauren Kinsman-Costello·Tatiana Lobato-de Magalhães·Danielle R. Monteverde·Eric J. Ward·Zhen Zhang·Brian Buma
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Climate change is intensifying wetland methane emissions, reinforcing a feedback loop that accelerates warming and threatens wetlands’ role as natural climate solutions. We propose climate-smart interventions for wetland protection, restoration, and management that explicitly account for methane dynamics. Targeted interventions can weaken methane feedback while safeguarding ecological functions and services.

Explore related subjects

One EarthArticle

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Irena F. Creed, Emily A. Ury, Kenneth J. Anderson, Sheel Bansal, Pascal Badiou, Victoria Dombrowik, Philip B. Duffy, Vincent Gauci, Adam Gold, Meredith A. Holgerson, Bunyod Holmatov, Lauren Kinsman-Costello, Tatiana Lobato-de Magalhães, Danielle R. Monteverde, Eric J. Ward, Zhen Zhang, Brian Buma. 2026. Climate-smart wetlands can mitigate the wetland-methane feedback loop. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2026.101719

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2021

Culturally diverse expert teams have yet to bring comprehensive linguistic diversity to intergovernmental ecosystem assessments

Multicultural representation is a stated goal of many global scientific assessment processes. These processes aim to mobilize a broader, more diverse knowledge base and increase legitimacy and inclusiveness of these assessment processes. Often, enhancing cultural diversity is encouraged through involvement of diverse expert teams and sources of knowledge in different languages. In this article, we examine linguistic diversity, as one representation of cultural diversity, in the eight published assessments of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Our results show that the IPBES assessment outputs are disproportionately filtered through English-language literature and authors from Anglophone countries. To incorporate more linguistic diversity into global ecosystem assessment processes, we present actionable steps for global science teams to recognize and incorporate non-English-language literature and contributions from non-Anglophones. Our findings highlight the need for broad-scale actions that enhance inclusivity in knowledge synthesis processes through balanced representation of different knowledge holders and sources.

One Earth↗
USGS2021

Sea-level rise enhances carbon accumulation in United States tidal wetlands

Coastal wetlands accumulate soil carbon more efficiently than terrestrial systems, but sea level rise potentially threatens the persistence of this prominent carbon sink. Here, we combine a published dataset of 372 soil carbon accumulation rates from across the United States with new analysis of 131 sites in coastal Louisiana and find that the rate of relative sea level rise (RSLR) explains 80% of regional variation in carbon accumulation. A carbon mass balance for the rapidly submerging Louisiana coast demonstrates that carbon accumulation rates in surviving marshes increase with RSLR and currently exceed the rate of carbon loss due to marsh drowning and erosion. Although continued erosion will eventually lead to net carbon loss, together these results suggest a strong negative carbon-climate feedback for coastal marshes, where even submerging marshes sequester carbon at rates that increase with RSLR.

California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgi↗
USGS2020

Unfamiliar territory: Emerging themes for ecological drought research and management

Novel forms of drought are emerging globally, due to climate change, shifting teleconnection patterns, expanding human water use, and a history of human influence on the environment that increases the probability of transformational ecological impacts. These costly ecological impacts cascade to human communities, and understanding this changing drought landscape is one of today’s grand challenges. By using a modified horizon-scanning approach that integrated scientists, managers, and decision-makers, we identified the emerging issues in ecological drought that represent key challenges to timely and effective responses. Here we review the themes that most urgently need attention, including novel drought conditions, the potential for transformational drought impacts, and the need for anticipatory drought management. This horizon scan and review provides a roadmap to facilitate the research and management innovations that will support forward-looking, co-developed approaches to reduce the risk of drought to our socio-ecological systems during the 21 st century.

One Earth↗