Abstract:
Global warming and eutrophication have become the dual pressures faced by lake ecosystems in recent years. They can affect greenhouse gas emissions and carbon cycling processes by altering water temperature and nutrient concentrations. However, the mechanism by which warming and eutrophication interact to affect CO
2 and CH
4 emissions remains unclear. This study conducted a mesocosm simulation experiment at the National Field Science Observation and Research Station of the Xingkai Lake Wetland Ecosystem in Heilongjiang from August to October 2024. The experiment simulated the climate change and eutrophication trends of the mid-21st century, aiming to investigate the characteristics and response mechanisms of CO
2 and CH
4 fluxes at the water-air interface of shallow lakes under different warming and nutrient conditions. The results indicated that in all groups, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), salinity (Salt), and pH showed an upward trend, while CO
2 and CH
4 fluxes decreased during the experiment period. Significant differences in environmental factors and greenhouse gas fluxes were observed over time (
p<0.05), but no significant differences were found between the treatment groups at the same sampling time (
p>0.05). Warming increased the values of water temperature (WT), EC, Salt, and pH, while it suppressed DO concentrations. Nitrogen input decreased the values of WT and DO, but promoted the increases of EC, Salt, and pH. During the study period, CH
4 flux ranged from −14.16 to 90.53 mmol/(m
2·d), and CO
2 flux ranged from −2 520.12 to 2 218.05 mmol/(m
2·d). Overall, the lake ecosystem acted as a source of greenhouse gas emissions. The CO
2 and CH
4 exchange processes at the water-air interface were mainly influenced by WT, pH, and DO. pH was significantly negatively correlated with CO
2 flux (
p<0.01), while WT and DO showed significantly positive correlations with CH
4 flux (
p<0.01) and negative correlations with CH
4 flux (
p<0.001), respectively. Warming did not directly affect CO
2 and CH
4 fluxes but promoted their emission by increasing WT. Nitrogen input significantly promoted CH
4 emissions (
p<0.05). Both warming and nitrogen input inhibited CO
2 emissions by increasing pH. Overall, the interaction between warming and nitrogen input complicated the CO
2 and CH
4 exchange at the water-air interface. In conclusion, this study enhances the understanding of greenhouse gas emissions in shallow lakes, and provides scientific support for the management of eutrophic lakes in the context of global warming.