Submerged Macrophytes Enhance and Differentially Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions in <em>Eriocheir sinensis</em> Aquaculture Systems
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Submerged macrophytes play a vital role in regulating carbon and nitrogen cycling in aquatic ecosystems; however, their effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in aquaculture sys-tems remain poorly understood. This study quantified methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes after planting Hydrilla verticillata (HV), Elodea nuttallii (EN), and Vallisneria natans (VN) in Eriocheir sinensis tanks to elucidate emission dynamics and identify low carbon management strategies. Compared with unvegetated controls, vegetated treatments signifi-cantly enhanced CH₄ emissions, with CH₄ contributing over 97% of the global warming po-tential (GWP). The overall GWP values were in the order HV > VN > EN > CK (control), in-dicating that V. natans had the lowest GWP value among all macrophyte treatments. Mecha-nistically, nitrogen availability and redox conditions jointly regulated GHG fluxes, while differences in aerenchyma development, root exudation, and algal attachment explained the observed species-specific variation. These findings suggest that optimizing plant composition, particularly through the introduction of V. natans or species with similar ecological traits, can effectively mitigate GHG emissions in crab aquaculture. Moreover, the identified mechanisms provide new insights into methane regulation in vegetated wetlands, supporting broader de-carbonization strategies for aquatic ecosystems.