Comprehensive assessments of carbon dynamics in an intermittently-irrigated rice paddy

Abstract

Rice is a major crop that feeds more than half of the global population. Rice paddies play a complex role in the carbon cycle by emitting CH4 to the atmosphere while either sequestering or releasing CO2 to the atmosphere. Here, we present 3.5 years of eddy covariance measurements of CO2 and CH4 fluxes over an intermittently irrigated, single crop rice paddy in South Korea in tandem with carbon stock measurements for leaves, stems, grains, and roots. The rice paddy acted as a slight sink or neutral in CO2 (−47 ± 51 g C m−2y−1; mean ± 95% confidence interval) with 941 ± 130 g C m−2y−1 and 894 ± 108 g C m−2y−1 as the gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco), respectively. The mean annual net primary productivity (NPP) was 666 ± 31 g C m−2y−1, which was partitioned to leaves (9%), stems (30%), grains (51%), and roots (10%), for a harvest index of 57%. The paddy emitted 20.6 ± 1.5 g C m−2y−1 in the form of CH4, of which between 82 and 96% was emitted during the cultivation period (~132 days) . The CH4 flux showed a mid-season decline caused by mid-season drainage, which produced aerobic soil conditions that inhibited CH4 emissions. The proportion of estimated ebullitive flux to total CH4 flux ranged from 10 to 17% during the cultivation period. GPP, Reco, and CH4 fluxes varied by 12%, 11%, and 7%, respectively, over the 3-year period. When considering the harvest and the global warming potential of CH4, the paddy shifted from a greenhouse gas sink to a strong source (2,741 ± 468 g CO2 eq m−2y−1). These findings will improve our understanding of carbon budgets and cycles, and help develop greenhouse gas and water management strategies for rice paddies.