Global Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases Emissions in Terrestrial Ecosystems

Global climate change has significantly influenced soil greenhouse gases (GHG, i.e., carbon dioxide – CO2, methane – CH4, and nitrous oxide – N2O) emissions that feedback to climate change. Terrestrial ecosystems are important sources and sinks of these GHG that are produced and consumed through biological processes including decomposition, methane oxidation, photosynthesis, methanogenesis, nitrification, and denitrification. In this chapter, we synthesize publications related to global climate change and soil GHG emissions and provide case studies of the impacts of global climate change on soil GHG emissions. The chapter starts with a brief introduction, followed by a description of GHG and soil emission processes. The common methods of GHG emission measurements and research approaches of the global change study are described. Case studies using laboratory incubation, field experiment, meta-analysis, and ecosystem modeling are provided. We focus on the impacts of global warming, precipitation change, atmospheric CO2 concentration, and nitrogen deposition on soil GHG emissions in terrestrial ecosystems. Some recommendations for future studies are provided.