Warming promotes soil CO2 and CH4 emissions but decreasing moisture inhibits CH4 emissions in the permafrost peatland of the Great Xing'an Mountains

Permafrost peatlands, as large soil carbon pools, are sensitive to global warming. However, the effects of temperature, moisture, and their interactions on carbon emissions in the permafrost peatlands remain unclear, when considering the availability of soil matrixes. The permafrost peatland (0–50 cm soil) in the Great Xing'an Mountains was selected to explore the deficiency. The cumulative carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions from soil were measured under different temperatures (5 °C, 10 °C, and 15 °C) and moisture content (130%, 100%, and 70%) treatments by the indoor incubation. The results showed that the soil carbon and nitrogen matrix determined soil carbon emissions. Warming affected the availability of soil carbon and nitrogen substrates, thus stimulating microbial activity and increasing soil carbon emissions. With soil temperature increasing by 10 °C, soil CO2 and CH4 emission rates increased by 5.1–9.4 and 3.8–6.4 times respectively. Warming promoted soil carbon emissions, and the decrease of moisture content promoted CO2 emissions but inhibited CH4 emissions in the permafrost peatland. Soil moisture and the carbon and nitrogen matrix determined the intensity of CO2 and CH4 emissions. The results were important to assess soil carbon emissions from permafrost peatlands under the impact of future climate warming and to formulate carbon emission reduction policies. [Display omitted] •Effects of warming and decreasing moisture on carbon emissions were proposed firstly.•Warming promotes soil CO2 and CH4 emissions in the permafrost peatland.•The decreasing moisture promotes CO2 emissions but inhibits CH4 emissions.•Soil moisture and the carbon and nitrogen matrix drive CO2 and CH4 emissions.