Tibet lakes are shifting from carbon sinks to methane sources

By AI, Created 5:48 AM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – A new review of nearly 400 studies finds warming is pushing Tibetan Plateau lakes toward higher greenhouse gas emissions, especially from thawing permafrost and thermokarst lakes. The findings add urgency to climate models and lake management strategies that could help identify which lakes still absorb carbon and which now emit it.

Why it matters: - Tibetan Plateau lakes are moving from stable carbon sinks toward major sources of greenhouse gases as climate warming accelerates. - Methane from these lakes matters disproportionately because methane is about 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide over the same period. - The review says better modeling could improve regional green development planning and support carbon-neutrality strategies.

What happened: - Researchers published a new review in Watershed Ecology and the Environment that synthesized nearly 400 scientific papers on Tibetan Plateau lakes. - The review found that rising temperatures are speeding permafrost thaw and glacier retreat across the plateau. - Those changes are expanding thermokarst lakes, which form when permafrost melts and the ground collapses. - Dr. Yang Liu, the study’s corresponding author, said plateau lakes are not uniform and now range from significant carbon sinks to powerful carbon sources. - The review is available through DOI 10.1016/j.wsee.2026.03.001.

The details: - Thermokarst lakes release ancient, long-frozen carbon as both carbon dioxide and methane. - The review identifies thermokarst lakes as especially important methane hotspots. - Microorganisms act as the main engine of these emissions by decomposing organic matter and cycling carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. - Warming also extends the growing season for algae, which absorb carbon dioxide. - At the same time, warming intensifies microbial decomposition, which can push the system from net carbon absorption to net carbon release. - The study argues that simple one-size-fits-all assessments miss the range of behavior across different lake types. - The authors call for an integrated model that includes microbial functional genes, nutrient coupling and climate drivers. - That model would support lake-type zoning, with carbon-sink lakes protected and high-emitting lakes targeted for mitigation. - The work was funded by regional and national science grants in China, including support from Xizang Autonomous Region programs, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Environment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Between the lines: - The review suggests the climate risk is not just that the lakes are warming, but that their internal biology is changing in ways that can accelerate emissions. - The microbial focus matters because it shifts the policy question from simple area-based monitoring to more targeted management based on lake type and function. - That could make Tibetan Plateau lakes a testing ground for how to manage other thawing high-altitude and high-latitude waters under warming conditions.

What’s next: - The authors want future models to combine microbial, nutrient and climate data instead of relying on broad averages. - Lake managers could use those models to separate lakes that still act as carbon sinks from thermokarst and other high-emitting lakes. - Further research will likely focus on how individual lake types respond as warming continues and permafrost thaw expands.