Disentangling the combined impacts of flooding intensity and land use types on soil nitrous oxide emissions in the riparian zone of Three-Gorges Reservoir(Original data))

This study provides unprecedented insights into the interactive effects of flooding intensity and land use on soil N₂O emissions in the riparian ecotone of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) – a critical global hotspot for greenhouse gas research. While land use and hydrology individually influence N₂O fluxes, their combined impacts remain poorly quantified, especially in dynamic reservoir ecosystems. Through long-term field measurements across three flooding gradients and four land uses, we reveal that anthropogenic land use (e.g., cornfields) amplifies N₂O emissions irrespective of flooding intensity, whereas natural grassland exhibits resilience with minimal flux variations. Crucially, we demonstrate that flooding intensity alone does not dictate emissions; instead, interactions with land management dominate N₂O dynamics. Our identification of ammonium, nitrate, soil moisture, and temperature as key drivers offers mechanistic clarity for predictive models. These findings challenge assumptions about hydrological controls and underscore that reducing anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., maintaining grasslands) is the most effective strategy for mitigating N₂O emissions in managed riparian zones.