Changes in soil organic carbon stocks of wetlands on China's Zoige plateau from 1980 to 2010

- The Zoige wetlands accumulate > 300 t C ha−1 of SOC in the top 1 m of the soil.
- The wetland soils were a net carbon sink of 0.25 t C ha−1 yr−1 from 1980 to 2010.
- Drainage since 1980 decreased SOC by 4 t C ha−1.
- Intense grazing had minor yet positive impacts on the SOC stock.
- The results imply a need to control drainage to maintain the wetland SOC stock.