View article

Wetlands emit 20 to 25 percent of global methane emissions to Earth’s atmosphere, yet they also have the best capacity of any ecosystem to retain carbon through permanent burial (sequestration). Both processes have implications for climate change. Of the total storage of organic carbon in Earth’s soils, 20 to 30 percent or more is stored in wetlands, and that storage is vulnerable to loss back to the atmosphere if the climate warms or becomes drier. This book excerpt discusses the significant, yet underappreciated role of wetlands in the global carbon cycle.