Investigations of methane emissions from rice cultivation in Indian context

The increasing demand of the growing population requires enhancement in the production of rice. This has a direct bearing on the global environment since the rice cultivation is one of the major contributors to the methane emissions. As the rice cultivation is intensified with the current practices and technologies, the methane fluxes from paddy fields will substantially rise. Improved high yielding rice varieties together with efficient cultivation techniques will certainly contribute to the curtailment of the methane emission fluxes. In this paper, the system dynamic approach is used for estimating the methane emissions from rice fields in India till the year 2020. Mitigation options studied for curtailing the methane emissions include rice production management, use of low methane emitting varieties of rice, water management and fertilizer amendment. The model is validated quantitatively and sensitivity tests are carried out to examine the robustness of the model.     

Modeling changes in paddy rice sown areas in Asia

Paddy rice fields in Asia account for over 90% of global total rice cultivation area, and the major rice-producing countries of Asia account for over one-half of the world’s population. Monitoring and understanding the dynamic changes in paddy rice agriculture in Asia are very important for agricultural sustainability, food and water security, and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper presents a crop choice decision model that dynamically simulates future changes in sown areas of paddy rice in Asia. This model was developed under the framework of Action-in-Context (AiC) with the aim of understanding land users’ decisions on crop choices among a set of available alternatives using a crop utility function. Empirical validation for the model conducted after model construction indicated the reliability of the model for addressing the complexity of current agricultural land-use change and its capacity for investigating long-term scenarios in the future. Finally, the model was applied for future scenario analysis over a time frame of 30 years with 5-year increments, beginning from the year 2005. The simulation results provided insights into rates and trajectories of changes in Asian rice areas over the test period, with the resulting implications for future agricultural sustainability in Asia. These outcomes can improve understanding of projected land-use changes and explain their causes, locations and consequences, as well as providing support for land-use planning and policy making.     

甲烷排放与应对气候变化国家战略探析

甲烷的全球变暖潜势是二氧化碳的72倍(20年水平),但其在大气中的寿命短于二氧化碳,可以作为优先减排对象。中国的甲烷排放十分突出,甲烷减排在应对气候变化国家战略中具有重要的基础性地位,然而在政策研究中,甲烷受到的关注程度远低于二氧化碳。本文基于甲烷排放研究的相关进展,首次系统性地论述了中国甲烷排放与应对气候变化国家战略之间的关系。主要结论是:甲烷排放的有效控制和减缓可以成为中国温室气体减排的重要组成部分,甲烷等温室气体的减排战略要用"系统减排"思路替代传统的"末端减排"思路;甲烷系统减排的策略和实施措施不仅需要重视主要排放部门(如煤炭开采与洗选业,农业)的直接末端减排,更需要突出强调建设活动、城市消费、资本投资和出口贸易等消费端的间接体现减排;在国际气候谈判中通过纳入甲烷排放,可以至少在五个方面丰富和支撑中国的国家立场,如从承诺"单位GDP二氧化碳减排"向承诺"单位GDP温室气体减排"转变。     

Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems in Asia

The rice-wheat belt comprises nearly 24–27 million ha in South and East Asia. Rice is generally grown in flooded fields whereas the ensuing wheat crop requires well-drained soil conditions. Consequently, both crops differ markedly in nature and intensity of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, namely emission of (1) methane (CH₄) and (2) nitrous oxide (N_2O) as well as the sequestration of (3) carbon dioxide. Wetland rice emits large quantities of CH₄; strategies to CH₄ emissions include proper management of organic inputs, temporary (mid-season) field drainage and direct seeding. As for the wheat crop, the major GHG is N_2O that is emitted in short-term pulses after fertilization, heavy rainfall and irrigation events. However, N_2O is also emitted in larger quantities during fallow periods and during the rice crop as long as episodic irrigation or rainfall result in aerobic-anaerobic cycles. Wetland rice ensures a relatively high content of soil organic matter in the rice-wheat system as compared to permanent upland conditions. In terms of global warming potential, baseline emissions of the rice-wheat system primarily depend on the management practices during the rice crop while emissions from the wheat crop remain less sensitive to different management practices. The antagonism between CH₄ and N_2O emissions is a major impediment for devising effective mitigation strategies in rice-wheat system - measures to reduce the emission of one GHG often intensify the emission of the other GHG.     

稻鸭、稻鱼共作对稻田P素动态变化的影响

以稻鸭和稻鱼生态系统为研究对象，通过大田试验研究了稻田P的动态变化及转化规律，及其对环境的影响。结果表明，施P后土壤和田面水P含量立即达到最大值，一周后迅速降低。相对于空白（CK），养鸭处理（RD）和养鱼处理（RF）田面水总P浓度、溶解P浓度、土壤速效P含量和水稻吸P量显著增加，而土壤全P含量有所增加。研究还表明，水稻吸P量与田面水溶解P、土壤速效P显著相关。对田面水P素径流流失的潜在环境效应分析表明，施P后的一周左右是控制P素流失的关键时期；由于养鸭养鱼能提高稻田P含量，在稻鸭、稻鱼共作期间，要注意避免农田排水和防止因降雨引起的田面水外溢。同时，由于鸭子和鱼能提高土壤有效养分含量，降低化肥的施用量，进而降低了化肥损失所造成的环境危害。     

Exploring correlation between redox potential and other edaphic factors in field and laboratory conditions in relation to methane efflux.

Methane is primarily a biogenic gas, which is implicated in global warming. Although its production in the anoxic conditions is regulated by several edaphic factors, aquatic macrophytes also influence methane emission by providing aerenchyma to act as chimney for CH4 transport from the sediment to troposphere, by releasing root exudates to the sediment to serve as substrate for methanogenic bacteria and by transporting atmospheric O2 to rhizosphere, which stimulates CH4 consumption. Among the edaphic factors, redox potential (Eh) is the most important, which largely determines the action of methanogenic bacteria. Hence, a study was undertaken first to find out the correlation between CH4 emission and edaphic factors in the field conditions and then to understand the relationship between Eh and other edaphic factors. The field studies revealed that natural wetlands were the major source of CH4 emission, and the vegetation plays an important role in CH4 emission from the water bodies. However, it was very difficult to establish a strong relationship between the CH4 emission and the edaphic factors in the field conditions due to other limiting factors and their constant fluctuations. In this connection, the laboratory experiments exhibited that soil temperature, pH, moisture regime and incubation period were negatively correlated with Eh, which determines the initiation of methanogenic process. However, organic carbon and the water regime over the soil surface did not show any impact on Eh in this study.     

The Challenges and Solutions for Cadmium-contaminated Rice in China: A Critical Review

The wide occurrence of Cd-contaminated rice in southern China poses significant public health risk and deserves immediate action, which arises primarily from extensive metal (including Cd) contamination of paddies with the fast expansion of nonferrous metal mining and smelting activities. Accumulation of Cd in rice grains can be reduced by removing Cd from the contaminated paddy soils, reducing its bioavailability, and controlling its uptake by rice plants. Although a range of measures can be taken to rehabilitate Cd-contaminated lands, including soil replacement and turnover, chemical washing, and phytoremediation, they are either too expensive and/or too slow. Various amendment materials, including lime, animal manures, and biochar, can be used to immobilize Cd in soils, but such fixation approach can only temporarily reduce Cd availability to rice uptake. Cultivation of alternative crops with low Cd accumulation in edible plant parts is impractical on large scales due to extensive contamination and food security concerns in southern China. Transgenic techniques can help develop rice cultivars with low Cd accumulation in grains, but little public acceptance is expected for such products. As an alternative, selection and development of low-Cd rice varieties and hybrids through plant biotechnology and breeding, particularly, by integration of marker-assisted selection (MAS) with traditional breeding, could be a practical and acceptable option that would allow continued rice production in soils with high bioavailability of Cd. Plant biotechnology and breeding can also help develop Cd-hyperaccumulating rice varieties, which can greatly facilitate phytoremediation of contaminated paddies. To eliminate the long-term risk of Cd entering the food chain, soils contaminated by Cd should be cleaned up when cost-effective remediation measures are available.     

Building resilience to water scarcity in southern Spain: a case study of rice farming in Doñana protected wetlands

Agricultural water management needs to evolve in view of increased water scarcity, especially when farming and natural protected areas are closely linked. In the study site of Doñana (southern Spain), water is shared by rice producers and a world heritage biodiversity ecosystem. Our aim is to contribute to defining adaptation strategies that may build resilience to increasing water scarcity and minimize water conflicts among agricultural and natural systems. The analytical framework links a participatory process with quantitative methods to prioritize the adaptation options. Bottom-up proposed adaptation measures are evaluated by a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) that includes both socioeconomic criteria and criteria of the ecosystem services affected by the adaptation options. Criteria weights are estimated by three different methods—analytic hierarchy process, Likert scale and equal weights—that are then compared. Finally, scores from an MCA are input into an optimization model used to determine the optimal land-use distribution in order to maximize utility and land-use diversification according to different scenarios of funds and water availability. While our results show a spectrum of perceptions of priorities among stakeholders, there is one overriding theme that is to define a way to restore part of the rice fields to natural wetlands. These results hold true under the current climate scenario and even more so under an increased water scarcity scenario.     

江汉平原稻田冠层CO2通量变化特征及其影响因素分析

二氧化碳（CO2）、甲烷（CH4）、氧化亚氮（N2O）被认为是最重要的温室气体,在气候变化中扮演着重要角色,实地测定稻田生态系统CO2通量是农业源温室气体监测与控制技术研究的基本内容。采用涡度相关法对江汉平原稻田生态系统进行了通量观测,并对水稻不同生长阶段冠层CO2通量、潜热、显热通量变化特征及其影响因素进行了分析。结果表明：水稻各生育期冠层CO2、潜热、显热通量日变化均表现出明显的单峰特征,但幅度不同,这与太阳总辐射的日变化及下垫面作物叶面积指数大小关系密切。稻田系统作物呼吸与土壤呼吸排放CO2,排放通量一方面与温度的变化有关,另一方面也受灌溉、作物生长状况的影响;稻田光合作用吸收同化大气CO2,吸收通量与作物群体叶面积指数大小、光合有效辐射强度有关。不同生长期冠层CO2通量与温度因子（气温、5cm土层温度）、光辐射强度因子（时光合有效辐射曝辐量）的相关性均达到极显著水平（P<0.01）,其中,分蘖-灌浆乳熟期CO2净通量对时光合有效辐射曝辐量响应的灵敏度较大,可以通过直角双曲线模型来拟合评估CO2净通量     

Eco-balance analysis of land use combinations to minimize environmental impacts and maximize farm income in northern Japan

Relationships among global warming potential (GWP), farmland surplus nitrogen (FSN) and income for major land uses in the Ikushunbetsu watershed were compared using the eco-balance method. An empirical model was created for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide for both uplands and paddy rice using monitoring data from 22 fields. The greenhouse gas emissions were converted into GWP, whereas yield and FSN were obtained from interviews with farmers and a literature survey. Land use distribution was obtained by ground surveys in 2002, 2005 and 2007. The analysis showed that paddy rice and soybeans were characterized by a high GWP, low FSN and high income, whereas onions and vegetables had a high FSN but low GWP and moderate income. Wheat showed a negative GWP in some years, and abandoned areas always exhibited negative values. The total GWPs for the region were 14,184, 11,085 and 8,337 Mg CO₂ year⁻¹ for 2002, 2005 and 2007, respectively. The contribution of paddy rice to GWP was highest, ranging from 40 to 75%. To find optimal land use combinations that provide higher incomes and lower GWPs and FSNs than at present, all possible land use combinations were analyzed by changing the land use proportion from 0 to 100% at an interval of 10%. The number of land use combinations meeting the requirements in the three investigated years was 205. Abandoned area, which had the smallest environmental load, was included in every land use combination, indicating that land uses with low environmental impacts should be maintained at a certain proportion to mitigate the environmental load accompanying land uses with high production.     

利用水葫芦治理水体富营养化与生产沼气的环境经济学分析

资源化、无害化利用水葫芦是治理其泛滥的有效途径。利用水葫芦去除水体中的营养物并利用其生物质生产沼气在技术上具有可行性,但是其环境经济效益尚不明确。以滇池为例,针对富营养化水体的水葫芦控制进行了成本收益分析。与将水葫芦打捞后填埋处理相比,将所打捞的水葫芦用于生产沼气具有经济可行性和能量效率。与现行的填埋处理法相比,实施沼气项目不但同样能控制水葫芦泛滥,而且能生产能源。此外,填埋水葫芦会释放甲烷这一环境问题值得重视,利用水葫芦生产沼气可以减少温室气体的排放,但减排的价值取决于沼气厂的生产规模。由于将水葫芦填埋和用于生产沼气都能去除水体中的营养物,只有当沼气厂的水葫芦处理量大于当前的填埋量时,沼气项目才具有额外的水质改良价值。在中国关于水污染控制、可再生能源发展和节能减排等政策的背景下,利用水葫芦生产沼气是一种潜在的政策响应     

大穗型杂交水稻父本材料的抗旱性筛选与鉴定

培育大穗型品种是我国超级杂交稻主要育种目标之一,但大穗型水稻品种常存在结实率过低或结实不稳定等严重问题,而旱害常成为上述问题产生的直接原因。以21份大穗型水稻父本品种为供试材料,采用盆栽法,从花粉母细胞减数分裂期开始进行连续10 d的干旱处理（控制土壤相对含水量至40%~50%）,研究了结实率和每穗总粒数的变化。结果表明,干旱处理后品种的结实率和每穗总粒数降低,敏感品种降低幅度显著大于强耐旱品种。试验共筛选出8个大穗型强耐旱父本材料,10个耐旱型父本材料,3个敏感型父本材料。其中R527和9 311选的结实率和总粒数在干旱条件下都表现良好。2个耐旱性差异品种的授粉生物特性分析发现,干旱处理后各品种的花药长度、每柱头花粉总数和萌发数及萌发率均降低,强耐旱型品种R527降低幅度较小;而敏感型品种BL006降低幅度较大,花药长度、每柱头花粉萌发数及萌发率对照和处理间存在极显著差异。研究表明,结实率和每穗总粒数可以作为大穗型品种耐旱性筛选与鉴定的联合指标,花药长度和每柱头花粉萌发率可作为重要的参考指标,大穗型水稻品种耐旱性差异与其在干旱条件下雄性配子的形成及其活力密切相关     

Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Tropical Agriculture: Scope and Research Priorities

The scope of mitigation options in tropical agriculture is discussed for three different activities (a) agroforestry, (b) rice-based production systems and (c) pasture/animal husbandry. The prevention of deforestation - and the re-forestation of degraded land - could become a key elements to national climate protection programs of some developing countries. Agroforestry may offer economically viable windows of opportunity for sustainable use of tropical forests whereas additional funds (e.g. through “Clean Development Mechanism”) will be required to make re-forestation programs profitable. Alternative management practices in rice-based systems may offer win-win options to reduce emissions and - at the same time - to obtain another improvement in the production system, namely through optimized timing of nitrogen fertilizer, temporary drainage in irrigated rice fields and integrated residue management. Introducing pasture in degraded land can sequester substantial amounts of carbon (similar to re-forestation). Future research has to include participation of stakeholders from all conceivable levels, i.e. farmers' cooperatives, non-governmental organizations, national agricultural research centers and extension services, to devise simple and financially interesting incentives for reducing emissions. The feasibility of environmentally friendly production techniques has to be disseminated to the public through ‘success stories’ (documented in public media) and demonstration farms.     

稻田种养结合循环农业模式生态环境效应实证分析——以南方稻区稻-鱼模式为例

稻田种养结合循环农业模式生态环境效应明显,其主要体现在节肥、节药、抑草、改善土壤和水体等方面上。本文根据对南方稻区的入户调查数据和2001-2009年中国统计年鉴、中国农村统计年鉴、中国农业统计年鉴相关统计数据及化肥农药使用量的技术标准,实证分析了稻田种养结合循环农业模式的节肥、节药的生态环境效应。调查分析显示,稻-鱼模式下农户化肥使用量比常规水稻种植模式的使用量要减少15.21%,农药使用量要减少40.17%;相关性分析表明南方稻区稻-鱼种养结合模式的稻田面积占水稻生产总面积的百分比与化肥、农药使用量之间呈负相关关系,相关系数分别为-0.407 2和-0.979 9。可以看出,在稻-鱼的稻田生态系统中,土壤和水体的改善以及有害生物的减少,形成了鱼类对化肥和农药的替代关系,在稻谷产量不变甚至增产以及增加鱼类产出的情况下,农户大幅度减少了化肥和农药的使用量,因此实施扶持稻田种养结合循环农业模式策略,是改善稻区农业生态环境的重要途径。     

不同麦秸还田方式对周年稻麦轮作农田碳足迹的影响

为明确麦秸不同还田方式对稻麦轮作农田碳足迹的影响,该研究通过开展两年的大田试验,设计了3种麦秸还田方式（麦秸旋耕还田、麦秸翻耕还田和麦秸沟埋还田）,并以麦秸不还田为对照,采用静态箱-气相色谱法连续两年对农田温室气体排放进行监测,并对不同麦秸还田方式的生产资料投入和生产过程碳排放及温室气体排放进行全面分析。结果表明：(1）与不还田相比,麦秸还田显著增加了稻季日均CH4排放,稻麦周年全球增温潜势95%来自稻田CH4排放;（2）在水稻季,农田CH4排放占碳足迹总量比例最大,3种麦秸还田方式中,麦秸沟埋还田处理下碳足迹最小,且能比麦秸旋耕还田处理减少4.9%;(3）在小麦季,化肥投入造成的碳足迹所占比例最大,为64.5%~77.4%,其次是土壤N2O的排放;（4）从整个稻麦周年轮作系统来看,与麦秸旋耕还田和麦秸翻耕还田处理相比,麦秸沟埋还田处理能分别减少4.6%和3.6%的周年碳足迹及8.7%和4.9%的周年单位产量的碳足迹。因此,对于稻麦轮作地区,采用麦秸沟埋还田能在一定程度上降低农业生产过程中的碳足迹。     

Transfer of 137Cs to rice plants from various paddy soils contaminated under flooded conditions at different growth stages

Soil blocks from 18 paddy fields around three Korean nuclear power plant sites were put into lysimeters. Greenhouse experiments were carried out to investigate the (137)Cs transfer from these paddy soils to rice plants for its deposition at different growth stages. A solution of (137)Cs was applied to the flooded lysimeters at 2-3 different stages. The applied (137)Cs was mixed with the topsoil only at the pre-transplanting application. The transfer was quantified with a transfer factor based on the unit-area deposition (TF(a), m(2)kg(-1)-dry). The TF(a) in the pre-transplanting application showed a remarkable variation with the soils. However, the differences in the mean values among the study sites were not statistically significant. The straw TF(a) was 2-3 times higher than the corresponding seed value. The early-tillering stage and booting stage applications resulted in a higher transfer than the pre-transplanting application by factors of, on an average, 2 and 16 for the straws, and 3 and 25 for the hulled seeds, respectively. The (137)Cs transfer was found to correlate negatively with the soil pH and positively with the organic matter content. Based on the present results, the representative (137)Cs TF(a) values for the rice are proposed for use in the whole of Korea for the deposition at three different growth stages.     

稻鸭、稻鱼共作对稻田P素动态变化的影响

以稻鸭和稻鱼生态系统为研究对象,通过大田试验研究了稻田P的动态变化及转化规律,及其对环境的影响。结果表明,施P后土壤和田面水P含量立即达到最大值,一周后迅速降低。相对于空白（CK）,养鸭处理（RD）和养鱼处理（RF）田面水总P浓度、溶解P浓度、土壤速效P含量和水稻吸P量显著增加,而土壤全P含量有所增加。研究还表明,水稻吸P量与田面水溶解P、土壤速效P显著相关。对田面水P素径流流失的潜在环境效应分析表明,施P后的一周左右是控制P素流失的关键时期;由于养鸭养鱼能提高稻田P含量,在稻鸭、稻鱼共作期间,要注意避免农田排水和防止因降雨引起的田面水外溢。同时,由于鸭子和鱼能提高土壤有效养分含量,降低化肥的施用量,进而降低了化肥损失所造成的环境危害。     

Determination of bioavailable rhenium fraction in agricultural soils

Rhenium (Re) mobility in agricultural soils was studied in order to obtain information relevant to (99)Tc mobility in soil-to-plant systems. Since water soluble Tc and Re are highly bioavailable, extraction of Re with water was carried out in addition to a total Re determination in the soils. The geometric means of total Re for paddy field, upland field and other soils were 0.34, 0.23, and 0.28 ng g(-1), respectively, while those of water soluble Re (<0.45 microm membrane filterable) were 0.053, 0.015 and 0.008 ng g(-1), respectively. There were no differences for total Re among soil uses; however, the water soluble Re/total Re ratio was significantly higher in paddy field soils (16%) than in other soil uses (6% for upland fields and 3% for other uses). Rhenium mobility and plant availability were higher in paddy fields than in other agricultural fields, and similar phenomena would be expected for (99)Tc.     

Human impacts on methane emission from mangrove ecosystems in India

This study deals with the emission of methane in relation to changing environmental conditions and human impact, in three mangrove ecosystems of south India. Time-varying fluxes of methane adopting the close chamber technique were used to estimate CH₄ emission from an unpolluted site (Pichavaram mangroves) and two polluted sites viz. (1) Ennore Creek mangroves (affected by fertilizer effluents and crude oil discharges) and (2) Adyar estuary mangroves (affected by the discharges of organic and industrial wastes), covering monthly and seasonal variations. The results indicate annual average CH₄ emissions of 7.4, 5.02 and 15.4 mg m⁻² h⁻¹ from the sediment–water interface of the Pichavaram, Ennore Creek and Adyar estuary respectively. Emission characteristics obtained at Pichavaram mangroves represent a natural variability with changing physico-chemical factors, whereas the emission characteristics at Ennore Creek and Adyar estuary mangroves show anthropogenic influence. Several environmental factors such as oxygen availability, organic matter, soil physical and chemical properties, in addition to human-mediated interventions have been identified as influencing emission rates in the mangrove ecosystems. Preliminary CH₄ emission estimates for the mangrove ecosystems along the Indian sub- continent and the tropical and subtropical coastline of the world by linear extrapolation based on surface area range from 0.05 to 0.37 and 2.8 to 19.25 Tg CH₄ year⁻¹ respectively. Our results also highlight the impact of human activities on future emission of methane from the mangrove ecosystems. Received: 3 March 1999 / Accepted: 14 September 1999     

Soil management practices for sustainable agro-ecosystems

A doubling of the global food demand projected for the next 50 years poses a huge challenge for the sustainability of both food production and global and local environments. Today’s agricultural technologies may be increasing productivity to meet world food demand, but they may also be threatening agricultural ecosystems. For the global environment, agricultural systems provide both sources and sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs), which include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). This paper addresses the importance of soil organic carbon (SOC) for agro-ecosystems and GHG uptake and emission in agriculture, especially SOC changes associated with soil management. Soil management strategies have great potential to contribute to carbon sequestration, since the carbon sink capacity of the world’s agricultural and degraded soil is 50–66% of the historic carbon loss of 42–72 Pg (1 Pg=10¹⁵ g), although the actual carbon storage in cultivated soil may be smaller if climate changes lead to increasing mineralization. The importance of SOC in agricultural soil is, however, not controversial, as SOC helps to sustain soil fertility and conserve soil and water quality, and organic carbon compounds play a variety of roles in the nutrient, water, and biological cycles. No-tillage practices, cover crop management, and manure application are recommended to enhance SOC storage and to contribute to sustainable food production, which also improves soil quality. SOC sequestration could be increased at the expense of increasing the amount of non-CO₂ GHG emissions; however, soil testing, synchronized fertilization techniques, and optimum water control for flooding paddy fields, among other things, can reduce these emissions. Since increasing SOC may also be able to mitigate some local environmental problems, it will be necessary to have integrated soil management practices that are compatible with increasing SOM management and controlling soil residual nutrients. Cover crops would be a critical tool for sustainable soil management because they can scavenge soil residual nitrogen and their ecological functions can be utilized to establish an optimal nitrogen cycle. In addition to developing soil management strategies for sustainable agro-ecosystems, some political and social approaches will be needed, based on a common understanding that soil and agro-ecosystems are essential for a sustainable society.