Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess carbon storage of peatland ecosystems in Zoige Plateau of QinghaiTibetan Plateau, China. We selected three sites with different water levels and established a 1hm^-2 peatland plot in each site. The soil profile method and vegetation harvest method were used, and then vegetation biomass, carbon concentration in both vegetation and soil, and soil bulk density from the three sites were analyzed. The results showed that the ecosystem carbon storage in the three study sites of the Zoige Plateau ranged from 761.56 to 1103.40 t·hm-2, with an average value of 976.49 t·hm^-2. The vegetation carbon storage ranged from 13.44 to 15.23 t·hm^-2, with an average value of 14.53 t·hm^-2. The soil organic carbon storage (0-200 cm) ranged from 748.12 to 1088.17 t·hm^-2, with an average value of 961.96 t·hm^-2, which was 3 times of Chinese soil organic carbon storage of wetland, 5 times of Chinese forest soil organic carbon storage, and 11 times of Chinese grassland soil organic carbon storage. The results also revealed that the uncertainty on carbon storage estimation in peatland ecosystems was mainly related to peat depth, bulk density, and soil organic carbon concentration. Consequently, it is essential to further intensify the study on the data of these three soil factors in the peatlands, helping to accurately estimate carbon storage in Zoige Plateau.

Key words: life cycle assessment, reclamation, carbon emission., farmland management