Spatial and temporal variations of the greenhouse gas emissions in coastal saline wetlands in southeastern China

Coastal wetlands are crucial to global climate change due to their roles in modulating atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (CO2, CH4, N2O). Under a warming climate, we investigated spatial and temporal variations of GHGs emissions over the coastal wetlands in southeastern China during 2012–2014. Five dominant land cover types in coastal wetlands have been considered, including the bare mud flat (BF), the Spartina alterniflora flats (SAF), the Suaeda glauca flats (SGF), the Phragmites australis flat (PAF), and the Scripus triqueter flat (STF). The results showed that the annual average CO2 fluxes were 305.8, 588.8, 370.2, and 136.5 mg m−2 h−1 from spring to winter. CH4 fluxes presented to be a sink in spring (− 0.02 mg m−2 h−1), and functioned as a source in the following seasons. Correlation analysis indicated that the surface air temperature and the cumulative precipitation could be two main factors that influenced the seasonal and inter-annual variations of GHGs emissions. In addition, we provided a regional budget of GHGs emissions that suggested the variations of GHGs emissions under a warming climate.