Author(s)

Hu Yao ¹, Haiyun Yan ¹, Jingshuang Zhu ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Yunnan Open University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China

Corresponding Author

Haiyun Yan

ABSTRACT

Global climate warming is exerting significant environmental pressure on the high-altitude wetland ecosystems of the Northwestern Yunnan Plateau, a globally important region. Based on a comprehensive review and synthesis of recent literature (circa 2026), this paper systematically evaluates the dual impacts of temperature rise on the carbon cycle dynamics of these wetlands, with representative sites like Napahai. The research indicates that while warming may enhance carbon sink capacity by extending the growing season and promoting photosynthesis in some plants, its accelerating effect on microbial respiration and soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition is more pronounced. This creates a potential risk for these wetlands to transition from carbon sinks to carbon sources. The paper further analyzes key uncertainties within the influencing mechanisms and proposes directions for future research and management recommendations.

KEYWORDS

Northwestern Yunnan Plateau; Wetland Ecosystem; Temperature Increase; Carbon Emissions; Q10 Model; Climate Warming

CITE THIS PAPER

Hu Yao, Haiyun Yan, Jingshuang Zhu. Response Mechanisms of Carbon Emissions in the Northwestern Yunnan Plateau Wetlands to Temperature Increase. Environment, Resource and Ecology Journal (2026). Vol. 10, No.1, 74-80. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/erej.2026.100110.

REFERENCES

[1] Hu Q W., Wu Q., Liu Y., et al. A review of carbon cycle in wetlands. Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2009, 18(6):2381-2386.
[2] Zheng J J., Huang S Y., Jia X., et al. Spatial variation and controlling factors of temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in forest ecosystems across China. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 2020,44(6):687-698.
[3] Xu L., Yang Y R., Zhang J H., et al. Effects of simulated N deposition on Q10 of soil respiration in Chinese terrestrial ecosystems. Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2019, 38(5):1560-1569.
[4] Zhang H W., Cheng G S., Zhao X J. Path of the village collective economic development of hengyang city in new rural construction. Yunnan geographic environment research, 2014,26(1).
[5] Wang Q Q, Wang H, Zhang WC, Wang Z B, Xiao D R. The correlations between wetland landscape and social-natural factors on Northwestern Yunnan Plateau. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2019,39(2).
[6] Wang H, Zhang Y, Chen G L, Hettenhausen C, Liu Y, Tan K, Xiao D R. Domestic pig uprooting emerges as an undesirable disturbance to vegetation and soil properties in a plateau wetland ecosystem. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 2017: 1- 15.

Sponsors, Associates, and Links

---

• International Journal of Geological Resources and Geological Engineering
  
  
• Big Geospatial Data and Data Science
  
  
• Solid Earth and Space Physics
  
  
• Environment and Climate Protection
  
  
• Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information Systems
  
  
• Offshore and Polar Engineering
  
  
• Physical and Human Geography
  
  
• Journal of Atmospheric Physics and Atmospheric Environment
  
  
• Trends in Meteorology
  
  
• Journal of Coastal Engineering Research
  
  
• Focus on Plant Protection
  
  
• Toxicology and Health of Environment
  
  
• Geoscience and Remote Sensing
  
  
• Advances in Physical Oceanography
  
  
• Biology, Chemistry, and Geology in Marine
  
  
• Water-Soil, Biological Environment and Energy
  
  
• Geodesy and Geophysics
  
  
• Journal of Structural and Quaternary Geology
  
  
• Journal of Sedimentary Geology
  
  
• International Journal of Polar Social Research and Review