Effects and mechanisms of land-types conversion on greenhouse gas emissions in the Yellow River floodplain wetland

The mechanism and extent of changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from seasonal river-floodplain wetlands subjected to land-type conversion are unknown. We monitored GHG fluxes and characterized soil microbial communities in four types of wetland (Riverside lower-beach wetland (RLW), Riverside higher-beach wetland (RHW), Cultivated wetland (CW), Mesophytic wetland (MW)) in the Yellow River flood land. Results revealed that land reclamation activities altered the distribution patterns of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in soil, as well as the structure and activities of microbial communities, leading to changes in the GHG emissions. Cumulative CO2 and N2O emissions were highest in CW, which were 2.10–10.71 times and 3.19–8.61 times greater than the other three wetlands, respectively, whereas cumulative CH4 emissions were highest in RLW (1850.192 mg·m−2). CW exhibited the highest 100-years-scale Global Warming Potential (GWP100-CO2-eq) (81.175 t CO2-eq·ha−1), which was 9.93, 3.12, and 2.11 times greater than RLW, RHW, and MW. Moreover, reclaiming riverside wetland as farmland will increase CO2 and N2O emission fluxes by 54.546–72.684 t·ha−1 and 2.615–2.988 kg·ha−1, respectively. 16S rRNA high throughput sequencing revealed that bacterial community composition changed significantly overtime and seasons. GHG fluxes showed a significant positive linear correlation with bacterial OTUs (y = 0.71x–319.4, R2 = 0.304) and Shannon index (y = 228.62x–796.6, R2 = 0.336). Structure equation models indicated that soil C, N and moisture content were the primary factors influencing bacterial community evolution, which had an impact on GHG fluxes. Actinomycetes were significantly affected by total carbon (TC) content, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and C/N, while ammonia oxidizing and nitrifying bacteria were greatly influenced by NO3−-N rather than TN and NH4+-N content. Opportunities exist to reduce GHG emissions and mitigate climate change by maintaining the original state of riverside wetland or restoring cultivated land to wetland in the Yellow River floodplain wetland. [Display omitted] •Conversion of land type in wetland indirectly drives difference of GHG fluxes.•Reclamation in wetland increased cumulative CO2 and N2O emissions.•Soil C, N and moisture mainly drive differences of bacterial community and GHG flux.•Gas chromatography was applied to characterize GHG fluxes.•Soil microbial community was detected by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA.