Effects of underdrainage in lowland poorly drained paddy field

The lowland poorly drained paddy field may be handicapped in general, to the better drained paddy field in soil productivity level for rice crops in Japan. This is principally responsible for the prevalence of reducing characteristics in soils because of the high waterlogging condition all the year round. Therefore, the effects of the soil drying treatment on lowland poorly drained paddy field by any drainage are highly significant for the satisfactory production of rice crops. Kobo0 has noted that, among the numerous soil properties changed after drainage of the lowland poorly drained paddy field, the decreases in soil nitrogen level which will be characterized by the stabilization of soil humus are associated most closely with the promotion of the soil productivity. The present study was set up to ascertain the effects of soil drying by underdrainage of the lowland poorly drained paddy field incomparison with the better drained paddy field under cultivation.     

Phosphorus status of some paddy soils in Bangladesh

Abstract

Phosphorus status of Bangladesh paddy soils covering the major paddy soil types was assessed in terms of parent materials and physiography. Total P concentration ranged from 172 to 604 mg kg^?1 in the topsoil and from 126 to 688 mg kg^?1 in the subsoil, and varied with the physiography to which the soils belonged. In most soils, the available P concentration was much higher for the topsoil than for the subsoil. The inorganic P concentration was higher than the organic P concentration, except for one soil series from the Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain, and was significantly and positively correlated with the total P concentration. Among the inorganic forms, only the concentration of Al-bound P showed a significant correlation with that of available P based on the Bray P-2 method in both topsoil and subsoil. In general, the P status was critically low in paddy soils of the terrace area. Normal growth of paddy rice in this area is expected to be difficult without application of P fertilizer.     

Chloritization in lowland paddy soils

This paper is concerned with the alteration of clay minerals which takes place when well-aerated lowland soils (Brown lowland soils) are cultivated for growing rice. For this purpose the clay mineral compositions of paddy soils were compared with those of adjacent arable soils at four locations.

In the case of arable soils a larger part of the 14Å spacings collapsed to 10Å on treatment with NH₄NO₃ solution, or on drying at about 100°C, whereas in paddy soils the spacings were more stable to thelie treatments. Cation exchange capacities of clays were always smaller In paddy soils than in arable soils. Alternate treatments of reduction and oxidation somewhat increased the stability of the 14Å spacings to heat treatment.

These results indicate that chloritization is a very common process occurring in lowland paddy sons. Chloritization In paddy soils appears to be closely associated with the seasonal cycle of reduction and oxidation.     

Studies on soils of Peaty paddy fields II

Chemical changes ordinarily occuring in flooded paddy soils in Japan had been investigated in detail by Dr. SHIOIRI and his coworkers (1). The problem of degraded paddy soils had also been discussed by them on the basis of the experimental results on the deficiency of free iron oxides which affect the root of rice plant. As described in the previous report (2), causes for low rice production in the peaty Paddy fields seemed to be different from those in the degraded paddy ones. Thereupon, for a comprehensive understanding of the properties of peaty paddy soils, many important aspects such as the nature and role of each soil layer, and the behaviour of iron and nitrogen in soil Will have to be studied.     

Effect of different ecological conditions on the mud snail (Cipangopaludina japonica) in submerged paddy soil

Summary The effects of environmental factors, such as the nature of paddy soil, the presence of rice plants and weeds and applications of compost and weed-killers, on the behavior, growth and reproduction of the mud snail (Cipangopaludina japonica, an important paddy-soil dweller in Japan) were studied. The types of water-soluble substances in the soil and the softness of the mud make paddy soil a suitable habitat for this snail. The snail avoids soils that bear rice plants and weeds, preferring soils without higher plants. Feeding experiments revealed that the snail consumes a great deal of bacterial materials, such as detritus and sludge compost, suggesting that the sewage sludge produced from wastewater-treatment installations can be decreased by the snail if it is applied to paddy fields as sludge compost.     

Community structure of microaerophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria in Japanese paddy field soils

ABSTRACT

Redox cycle of iron (Fe) is the central process in the biogeochemistry of paddy field soil. Although Fe(II)-oxidizing process is mediated by both abiotic and biotic reactions, microorganisms involved in the process have not been well studied in paddy field soil. The present study investigated the community structure of microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) in the family Gallionellaceae in the plow layer of paddy fields located in the central (Anjo) and northeastern (Omagari) Japan since the members in the family are the typical FeOB in circumneutral freshwater environments and possibly have the significant role for Fe(II) oxidation in paddy field soils. A primer set targeting 16S rRNA gene of Gallionella-related FeOB was newly designed for the polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses. DGGE analysis showed significant differences in the band patterns between the field sites. Besides, minor differences were observed in the patterns between the soil depths (0–1 cm and below 1 cm) in the Anjo field, while the patterns were relatively stable in the Omagari field during the annual rice cultivation practices. In total 54 bands were sequenced and clustered into 20 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) on the basis of the 97% similarity. Eighteen out of twenty OTUs (50 of 54 bands) were affiliated within the FeOB cluster of Gallionellaceae, some of which were clustered with known microaerophilic FeOB, Ferrigenium kumadai, Ferriphaselus amnicola, ‘Sideroxydans lithotrophicus’ and ‘S. paludicola’. The number of the 16S rRNA gene copies was 10⁵–10⁷ and 10⁶–10⁸ copies g^?1 dried soil in the two paddy fields and negatively correlated to the contents of acetate-extractable Fe(II) in the soils during the rice cultivation period. These results suggested inhabitance of considerable number of diverse Gallionella-related FeOB and their potential involvement in the Fe(II)-oxidizing process of soil, especially during the rice cultivation period in the paddy field soils.     

Characterization of Desulfovibrio sp. isolated from some lowland paddy field soils of Burkina Faso

In a wetland ecosystem such as lowland ricefields, the anaerobic mineralization of organic matter is a key mechanism for nutrient recycling (Jørgensen 1982; Freney et al. 1982). In the process which involves several bacterial groups, sulfate reducers (Watanabe and Furusaka 1980; Widdel 1988; Ouattara and Jacq 1992; Nozoe 1997), methanogens (Asakawa and Hayano 1995; Dianou et al. 1997), sulfur and ferric ion reducers (Jacq et al. 1991) become active when the soil becomes anoxic (Amstrong 1969). Sulfate reducers are common in flooded soils (Watanabe and Furusaka 1980; Widdel 1988; Furusaka et al. 1991). Reported densities in rice soils ranged from 10³ to 10⁵ g^-1 dry soils in Asia (Watanabe and Furusaka 1980) and from 10² to 10⁹ g^-1 dry soil in Sénégal (Ouattara and Jacq 1992). Among the sulfate reducers, the “classical” Desulfovibrio species are known to oxidize typical fermentation products such as hydrogen, lactate, pyruvate, and dicarboxylic acids (Widdel 1988). So far, data on the isolation and characterization of sulfate-reducing bacterial (SRB) strains from African rice paddy field soils study have been very limited.     

低产水稻土改良与管理研究策略

我国耕地后备资源极端缺乏,改良低产田是提高粮食产量的重要途径。低产水稻土作为低产田的重要组成部分,相关肥力特征及其改良技术研究比较零散,缺乏系统科学的调控管理策略。本文从低产水稻土类型、新的改良研究方法角度,探索可能的技术突破。基于农业部统计数据,因环境条件不良或土壤自身存在障碍因素,全国约有7.67×106hm2低产水稻土。按其主导成因,低产水稻土可分为冷潜型、粘结型、沉板型、毒质型四类。土壤质量评价是低产水稻土研究的重要方面,其评价方法主要包括土壤质量动力学法、土壤质量综合评分法、多变量指标克立格法、土壤相对质量评价法,现已发展了基于GIS的区域尺度水稻土质量评价方法,以及基于土壤生物学性状的质量评价方法。低产水稻土改良研究更多关注新技术和新方法,稳定性同位素探针技术、傅里叶变换红外光谱法(FTIR)和固相交叉极化魔角自旋13C核磁共振(CPMS13C-NMR)波谱技术的应用,将土壤有机碳的微团聚体分布、腐殖质的转化及其与土壤矿物结合机制深入到微观水平;同时高通量测序、土壤宏基因组学、宏转录组学等方法将相关研究推向分子水平。低产水稻土改良与管理的技术主要涉及到冷潜型、粘结型、沉板型、毒质型四大类低产水稻土的改良技术,基于产量反应和农学效率的推荐施肥方法是水稻土养分管理方法的重要发展方向。1)在低产水稻土质量评价方面,未来要结合不同低产类型的障碍因素开展个性化的土壤质量评价,如白土的质地和耕层厚度,加强引入土壤生物学指标进行土壤质量评价研究。2)在低产水稻土改良方面,要研究稻田障碍层次的形成机理与调控途径;研究其他低产类型如新垦水稻土、盐渍化水稻土、石灰化水稻土和污染水稻土的改良技术;研究长期改良措施对不同粒级团聚体腐殖质结构、酶类、微生物多样性和功能基因的影响。3)在低产水稻土管理方面,着重研究秸秆还田技术、推荐施肥技术、抗逆品种技术、群体控制技术。     

重金属污染对水稻田土壤硫酸盐还原菌种群数量及其活性的影响

在实验室条件下,采用重金属Cd2+、As5+、Cu2+、Pb2+和Cr3+处理黄松稻田土壤、紫色稻田土壤和红壤稻田土,28d后分析重金属污染对水稻田土壤的硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)种群数量和硫酸盐还原活性(SRA)的影响。结果表明,在每千克干土中加入200mgPb2+时,对稻田土壤的SRB种群数量和SRA有促进作用;当加入的Cd2+、As5+、Cu2+、Pb2+和Cr3+每千克干土分别超过1.0、30、500、400和200mg时,对稻田土壤SRB种群数量和SRA有明显抑制作用。随着加入量的增加,重金属对水稻田土壤的SRB种群数量和SRA的抑制作用越来越强,水稻田土壤通过自身来恢复SRB种群数量和SRA所需的时间也越长。同一种重金属元素对不同土壤的SRB种群数量和SRA抑制的污染临界值也有差异。     

Nitrogen slow-release behavior of oxamide granules in two different types of paddy soils

Oxamide is a potential slow-release nitrogen (N) fertilizer, especially under waterlogged conditions, due to its low solubility in water and the slow-release of ammonium by soil amidases. To investigate the effects of oxamide granules (2.00-2.38 mm in diameter) as a single basal fertilizer (180 or 144 kg N ha^-1) on rice growth, soil properties, and N use efficiency in terms of N recovery efficiency (NRE), we conducted field experiments on two different types of paddy soils over two rice-growing seasons. Results showed that the fertilization effects of oxamide granules varied between the two types of paddy soils. In the red clayey paddy soil, the grain yields for both rice-growing seasons were high with a significantly higher NRE in the oxamide treatment than in the urea treatment. However, in the alluvial sandy paddy soil, the grain yields in the oxamide treatment were slightly lower than those in the urea treatment. Furthermore, oxamide produced little improvement in NRE in the alluvial sandy paddy soil. Soil incubation experiments over 98 d were also carried out to evaluate the factors affecting the N release behavior of oxamide granules in the two types of paddy soils. We found that the amidase activity was higher and, therefore, the oxamide hydrolysis rate was faster in the alluvial sandy paddy soil, which had a higher soil pH value and organic matter content, compared to the red clayey paddy soil. The faster N release and the longer growth period resulted in a mismatch between N supply by oxamide and rice demand, which, in turn, led to little improvement in NRE and a decreased grain yield in the alluvial sandy paddy soil, especially in the reduced oxamide treatment. These results could help select the appropriate size of oxamide granules for use as a slow-release N fertilizer depending on the soil properties and growth period of rice.     

Depression of methane production potential in paddy soils by subsurface drainage systems

Abstract

Subsurface drainage systems (pipe/tile drain systems) in paddy fields have been used in Japan since the 1960s for appropriate water management to encourage rice growing. Water management using the drainage systems probably accelerates the aerobic decomposition of organic matter in the paddy soils, and the management using the systems also accelerates leaching of water-soluble fractions in the soils. To evaluate these side-effects of the drainage systems on methane (CH₄) production potential in the soils, soil samples taken from four pairs of paddy fields with or without drainage systems (D-soils and ND-soils, respectively) were compared. In general, total C and N, hot-water-extractable hexose, ammonification and Fe²⁺ production were lower in D-soils than in ND-soils. Decomposition of buried rice straw during a fallow period was also accelerated in D-soils. Hence, both electron acceptors, such as reducible Fe, and electron donors, such as easily decomposable organic matter, in D-soils decreased on a short-term and long-term basis. To compare the effect of decreased electron acceptors and donors on the same criterion (mg C_eq kg^?1 dry matter (d.m.)), the oxidative capacity (OxiC) and reductive capacity (RedC) in each soil were calculated from the soil chemical and biological properties. Both OxiC and RedC decreased in D-soils, but the rate of decrease in RedC was 2.7-fold higher than that of OxiC. As the soil conditions became relatively oxidative, CH₄ production potential in D-soils decreased by approximately 40%. Thus, the installation of subsurface drainage systems under poorly drained paddy fields relatively decreased RedC in soil, and that CH₄ production potential in the soil also decreased.     

pH regulates key players of nitrification in paddy soils

Increasing lines of evidence have suggested the functional importance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) rather than bacteria (AOB) for nitrification in upland soils with low pH. However, it remains unclear whether niche specialization of AOA and AOB occurs in rice paddy wetlands constrained by oxygen availability. Using DNA-based stable isotope probing, we conclude that AOA dominated nitrification activity in acidic paddy soils (pH 5.6) while AOB dominated in alkaline soils (pH 8.2). Nitrification activity was stimulated by urea fertilization and accompanied by a significant increase of AOA in acid soils and AOB in alkaline soils. DNA-based stable isotope probing indicated significant assimilation of ¹³CO₂ for AOA only in acidic paddy soil, while AOB was the solely responsible for ammonia oxidation in the alkaline paddy soil. Phylogenetic analysis further indicated that AOA members within the soil group 1.1b lineage dominated nitrification in acid soils. Ammonia oxidation in the alkaline soil was catalyzed by Nitrosospira cluster 3-like AOB, suggesting that the physiological diversity of AOA is more complicated than previously thought, and soil pH plays important roles in shaping the community structures of ammonia oxidizers in paddy field.     

中国水稻土磷储量及其空间分异

Due to the growing concern about the agricultural phosphorus (P) losses pollution, an in-depth understanding of P in paddy soils of China would be helpful in providing a national perspective of the environmental impact of P cycling and fertility on China’s farms. In this study, we evaluated the P storage and the P density of paddy soils in China, characterized the spatial variations of P among the subgroups of paddy soils and soil regions in China, and evaluated the P data using GIS-based analysis, which included a newly compiled 1:1 M digital soil map of China, and using 1 490 soil profiles. The available and total P densities of paddy soils were 6.7 and 698.5 g m-3, respectively. Overall in China, the total P storage within 1 m of paddy soils was estimated to be 330.1 Tg. The P density of paddy soils varied substantially with subgroups due to the different soil water regimes such as groundwater table and soil drainage. The P availability in paddy soils, especially in surface layer, was higher in high temperature and precipitation areas. Further research is needed to examine more anthropogenic impact factors, such as increasing use of chemical fertilizer.     

Nitrification is the key process determining N use efficiency in paddy soils

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer use efficiency (NUE) in flooded paddy fields is relatively low. Many N fertilizer management options have been proposed to enhance NUE and minimize environmental damage. However, few investigations are focusing on the role of the characteristics of soil N transformations in regulating NUE and N losses in paddy fields. In this study, we test the role of soil N transformations on NUE and N losses under rice growth conditions in two paddy soils collected from Jiangxi (JX) and Sichuan (SC) in China. The N recoveries of applied ¹⁵N either as nitrate or ammonium in plant and soil, and N losses estimated by ¹⁵N balance were investigated in rice pot experiments using a ¹⁵N tracing technique. The results showed that gross nitrification rates in soil collected from JX were much lower than those in soils collected from SC either at 60% water holding capacity (WHC) or rice growth (flooding) conditions, which could be due to the difference in soil pH. The ‐N concentration in soil solution was maintained at a relatively high level for a long time period after N fertilizer application in the JX soil (41 d) compared to the SC soil (26 d), caused by different nitrification rates owing to different soil pH. The ¹⁵N uptake by rice in the JX soil (29–78%) was always significantly higher than that in the SC soil (22–54%), while N losses from the plant–soil system in the JX soil (17–21%) were always significantly lower than those from the SC soil (20–34%) at the same rice growth stage in the labeled ¹⁵N ammonium treatment. However, there were no significant differences in ¹⁵N uptake by rice and N losses in applied treatment between the two studied soils. These results indicate that nitrification, not denitrification, was the key process determining NUE and N losses in paddy soils. The results of the N application gradient experiment also indicated that higher amounts of N fertilizer should be applied for the same amount of N uptake, however, this caused higher N losses, in soils characterized by high nitrification rate (e.g ., the alkaline soil). Results highlighted that soil N transformations in particular nitrification rate provided a very good guideline for an optimized N management.     

An approach to soil testing with special reference to the zinc requirement of rice paddy soils

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to seek a better basis for soil testing of rice paddy soils. Soils were incubated under variable conditions of simulated flooding, and then extracted with DTPA⁵ . The amounts of Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe extracted were sensitive to the imposed soil conditions. Good correlations between Zn extracted from simulated flooded soils and Zn uptakes by rice from flooded soils in pots, suggest that this approach to soil testing may be more useful for paddy soils than existing tests on air dried soils.     

中国东南部某些水稻土的矿物学

Limited information is available concerning the mineralogy of paddy soils in the southeastern China. Using chemical methods in conjunction with X-ray diffractometry, we studied the mineral composition of three paddy soils: Jinghua (paddy soil on Quaternary red clay), Fuyang (Hapl-percogenic loamy paddy soil), and Shaoxing (gleyic clayey paddy soil). All the soils contained quartz, mica, vermiculite, chlorite and kaolinite, and the distribution of these minerals varied with soil particle size fractions. The clay fraction of the Fuyang and Shaoxing soils also contained smectite. Although X-ray data did not show the presence of smectite in the Jinghua soil, this mineral was identified by the chemical method, suggesting a transitional property of the mineral in the soil. Hydroxy-Al interlayered minerals were also present in the clay fraction. The amount of smectite in the soils was 31.6 (Shaoxing), 16.5 (Fuyang), and 21.4 (Jinghua) g kg^-1; for vermiculite it was 33.3 (Shaoxing), 16.5 (Fuyang), and 8.5 (Jinghua) g kg^-1. Smectite was only found in the clay fraction. In contrast, amounts of vermiculite in soil particle size fractions were 3.0~11.4 (sand), 2.1~6.0 (coarse silt), 4.6~18.9 (medium silt), 0.9~40.0 (fine silt), and 17.0~108 (clay) g kg^-1. The amount of noncrystalline aluminosilicates in the soils in g kg^-1 decreased in the order: Shaoxing (2.4) > Jinghua (1.9) > Fuyang (1.7). This study has provided useful mineralogical information that is fundamental in future development of management strategies of the soils.     

Status of paddy soils as affected by paddy rice and upland soybean rotation in northeast Japan,with special reference to nitrogen fertility

To investigate the current available nitrogen (N) and chemical properties of paddy soils affected by crop rotation between irrigated paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) and upland soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (paddy-upland rotation), topsoils were collected from 22 fields of four different farmers in the northeastern region of Japan. Regardless of organic material application, a significant negative correlation was found between available soil N and an increase in the proportions of upland seasons to total crop seasons after the initiation of paddy-upland rotation. Soil total N and total carbon (C) also tended to decrease with an increase in upland frequency. In fields with repeated applications of cattle manure compost, the soil available N was higher than in fields where only crop residue was applied. A significant negative correlation was also found between the soil available N:total N ratio and upland frequency. This indicates that the part of soil N related to available N was notably lost by the use of paddy fields as upland fields. In order to sustain available soil N over the minimum suitable level of 80?mg?kg^?1, upland frequency should not exceed 65% when only crop residues and no other organic materials are applied. The upland frequency can be raised by the repeated application of organic materials which maintain a higher level of available soil N. The results imply that care should be taken to maintain the N fertility of paddy soil at a suitable level in paddy-upland rotation, and that upland frequency and organic materials applied are important factors to do this.     

Effect of Lime and Flooding on Phosphorus Availability and Rice Growth on Two Acidic Lowland Soils

Abstract

Loss of soil‐water saturation may impair growth of rainfed lowland rice by restricting nutrient uptake, including the uptake of added phosphorus (P). For acidic soils, reappearance of soluble aluminum (Al) following loss of soil‐water saturation may also restrict P uptake. The aim of this study was to determine whether liming, flooding, and P additions could ameliorate the effects of loss of soil‐water saturation on P uptake and growth of rice. In the first pot experiment, two acid lowland soils from Cambodia [Kandic Plinthaqult (black clay soil) and Plinthustalf (sandy soil)] were treated with P (45 mg P kg^?1 soil) either before or after flooding for 4 weeks to investigate the effect of flooding on effectiveness of P fertilizer for rice growth. After 4 weeks, soils were air dried and crushed and then wet to field capacity and upland rice was grown in them for an additional 6 weeks. Addition of P fertilizer before rather than after flooding depressed the growth of the subsequently planted upland rice. During flooding, there was an increase in both acetate‐extractable Fe and the phosphate sorption capacity of soils, and a close relationship between them (r²=0.96–0.98). When P was added before flooding, Olsen and Bray 1‐extractable P, shoot dry matter, and shoot P concentrations were depressed, indicating that flooding decreased availability of fertilizer P. A second pot experiment was conducted with three levels of lime as CaCO₃ [to establish pH (CaCl₂) in the oxidized soils at 4, 5, and 6] and four levels of P (0, 13, 26, and 52 mg P kg^?1 soil) added to the same two acid lowland rice soils under flooded and nonflooded conditions. Under continuously flooded conditions, pH increased to over 5.6 regardless of lime treatment, and there was no response of rice dry matter to liming after 6 weeks' growth, but the addition of P increased rice dry matter substantially in both soils. In nonflooded soils, when P was not applied, shoot dry matter was depressed by up to one‐half of that in plants grown under continuously flooded conditions. Under the nonflooded conditions, rice dry matter and leaf P increased with the addition of P, but less so than in flooded soils. Leaf P concentrations and shoot dry matter responded strongly to the addition of lime. The increase in shoot dry matter of rice with lime and P application in nonflooded soil was associated with a significant decline in soluble Al in the soil and an increase in plant P uptake. The current experiments show that the loss of soil‐water saturation may be associated with the inhibition of P absorption by excess soluble Al. By contrast, flooding decreased exchangeable Al to levels below the threshold for toxicity in rice. In addition, the decreased P availability with loss of soil‐water saturation may have been associated with a greater phosphate sorption capacity of the soils during flooding and after reoxidation due to occlusion of P within ferric oxyhydroxides formed.     

Organic carbon accumulation in a 2000-year chronosequence of paddy soil evolution

Considerable amounts of soil organic matter (SOM) are stabilized in paddy soils, and thus a large proportion of the terrestrial carbon is conserved in wetland rice soils. Nonetheless, the mechanisms for stabilization of organic carbon (OC) in paddy soils are largely unknown. Based on a chronosequence derived from marine sediments, the objectives of this study are to investigate the accumulation of OC and the concurrent loss of inorganic carbon (IC) and to identify the role of the soil fractions for the stabilization of OC with increasing duration of paddy soil management. A chronosequence of six age groups of paddy soil formation was chosen in the Zhejiang Province (PR China), ranging from 50 to 2000 years (yrs) of paddy management. Soil samples obtained from horizontal sampling of three soil profiles within each age group were analyzed for bulk density (BD), OC as well as IC concentrations, OC stocks of bulk soil and the OC contributions to the bulk soil of the particle size fractions. Paddy soils are characterized by relatively low bulk densities in the puddled topsoil horizons (1.0 and 1.2 g cm^− 3) and high values in the plow pan (1.6 g cm^− 3). Our results demonstrate a substantial loss of carbonates during soil formation, as the upper 20 cm were free of carbonates in 100-year-old paddy soils, but carbonate removal from the entire soil profile required almost 700 yrs of rice cultivation. We observed an increase of topsoil OC stocks from 2.5 to 4.4 kg m^− 2 during 50 to 2000 yrs of paddy management. The OC accumulation in the bulk soil was dominated by the silt- and clay-sized fractions. The silt fraction showed a high accretion of OC and seems to be an important long-term OC sink during soil evolution. Fine clay in the puddled topsoil horizon was already saturated and the highest storage capacity for OC was calculated for coarse clay. With longer paddy management, the fractions < 20 μm showed an increasing actual OC saturation level, but did not reach the calculated potential storage capacity.     

Temporal variation in soil carbon in various paddy soil types in a cold temperate continental monsoon climate

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the most important carbon pool in the terrestrial ecosystem. However, temporal variations in paddy SOC under a temperate continental monsoon climate are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that significant SOC variations occur in meadow soil (MS), black soil (BS) and planosol (PS) paddy soils. Several soil samples were collected from different regions where rice was cultivated for 1, 6, 10, 23 and 40 years for MS samples; for 1, 6, 10, 20 and 35 years for BS samples and 1, 5, 10, 15 and 25 years for PS samples. The total organic carbon (TOC) content and humus organic carbon (HOC) content were found to increase as the rice cultivation duration increased, while the mineralizable organic carbon (MOC) content and carbohydrate organic carbon (COC) content exhibited the opposite trend. The relationships between the relative carbon accumulation (Y) in the three soil types and time (X) were consistent with the following models: Y_TOC = 0.9973X^0.0245, Y_HOC = 0.9936X^0.0457, Y_MOC = 1.023X^−0.073, and Y_COC = 1.040X^−0.059, describing the temporal variation in the various forms of organic carbon in paddy soils under a temperate continental monsoon climate. The results of this study provide a reference for soil carbon pool management and fertilization management.