| Summary: | The Zoige alpine peatlands are one of the highest and largest alpine peatlands in the world and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Drainage is the main disturbance at Zoige, and the drawdown of the water table level changes CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. There is still much uncertainty relating to how CH<sub>4</sub> emissions respond to multiple water table levels. Here, we simulated six gradients (−30 cm, −20 cm, −10 cm, 0 cm, 10 cm, and 20 cm) of the water table level through a mesocosm manipulation experiment in the Zoige peatlands. The water table level had a significant effect on CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. CH<sub>4</sub> emissions did not change with water table levels from −30 cm to −10 cm, but significantly increased as the water table level increased above −10 cm. A significant log-linear relationship (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.44, <i>p</i> < 0.001) was found between CH<sub>4</sub> emissions and a water table level range from −10 to 20 cm. This study characterized the responses of CH<sub>4</sub> emissions to multiple water table levels and provide additional data for accurately evaluating CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. The results of this study also have several conservation implications for alpine peatlands.
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