Reviving floodplain wetlands slashes carbon emissions by 39 per cent and restores critical ecosystem functions in one year — without the methane spike typically seen in restored peatlands, a new study has found.
For the study, researchers compared three degraded with three restored wetlands along the Loddon River in Victoria measuring native plant cover, carbon cycling and ecosystem function.
Peatlands are known as top carbon sinks, but can produce up to 530 per cent more methane after restoration, potentially offsetting short-term climate benefits.
Whereas floodplain, or riparian wetlands, which comprise over half of global wetlands, are often overlooked due to their lower carbon storage.
A new study in the Journal of Environmental Management reveals restored floodplain wetlands can recover within a year and show substantial ecosystem benefits rapidly.
Study lead-author Lukas Schuster from RMIT University’s Centre for Nature Positive Solutions said the scale and pace of ecosystem benefits revealed within just one year of restoration provided a clear case for action.
“Restoring wetlands could be a secret weapon against climate change,” he said.
“We found managing freshwater wetlands for carbon benefits also boosts flood and drought resilience, highlighting the dual benefits of restoration.”
While rewetting and revegetation reduced carbon emissions by 39 per cent, net carbon emissions from the unrestored control wetlands increased by 169 per cent over the monitoring period.
Freshwater wetlands, covering less than 10 per cent of the Earth’s surface, contribute up to 25 per cent of global methane emissions.
Despite this, they hold significant potential as long-term carbon sinks, playing a crucial role in the global carbon cycle.
In the restored wetlands, native plant cover increased significantly, with leaf litter from two dominant native wetland species decomposing more slowly than that of an invasive grass species, suggesting a greater potential for carbon preservation in the soil.
A floodplain wetland was also monitored six years after it was restored by reintroducing water flow, finding surface organic carbon stocks increased by 53 per cent, demonstrating lasting benefits.
The research was led by RMIT’s Centre for Nature Positive Solutions, which focuses on addressing urgent environmental challenges from climate change to pollution and biodiversity loss.
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