Abstract: Ponds, ditches, small lakes, and other minor water bodies are widely distributed across global terrestrial regions. Their greenhouse gas (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O) emission fluxes per unit area are often significantly higher than those of large lakes and rivers, rendering them of non-negligible importance in the study of global carbon and nitrogen cycles as well as climate change. Based on bibliometric methods, this paper systematically reviews the research trends and temporal evolution in this field. It summarizes the current mainstream observation methods and technical approaches for measuring gas emission fluxes. From multiple dimensions, including meteorological conditions, physical characteristics of water bodies (such as water depth, surface area-to-volume ratio, and external disturbances), and chemical properties (dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients, dissolved organic matter, etc.), the key environmental drivers influencing greenhouse gas emissions from small water bodies are outlined. It is noted that their fluxes generally exhibit diurnal variations, seasonal dynamics, and pulse-release patterns. Furthermore, incorporating recent advances in microbial molecular ecology, this review summarizes the key biological metabolic pathways and related functional genes involved in the production and transformation of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O in small water bodies. Finally, addressing current research gaps in long-term monitoring, dynamic modeling, and methodological integration, future research directions are proposed, with the aim of providing insights for a deeper understanding of the role of small water bodies in regional and global greenhouse gas budgets.