Field Ecosystem Research Articles

Manifesting a sustainable circular economy in waste management by linking to Paddy Farming in Gianyar Regency, Bali

Bali is a province that has a source-based waste management program that is in line with the concept of a circular economy, in the form of a waste management facility at the village level (called Tempat Pembuangan Sampah Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle or TPS3R). TPS3R is still in the stage of looking for a sustainable form of business. One of the main products of the waste management facility is compost, which although it is good for improving soil quality and rice field ecosystem, but is still difficult to find consumers, making the continuity of its business in question. By having sustainable business, we can generate more sustainable environmental benefits. The action research was conducted in three villages, i.e., Sayan, Taro, and Pejeng, in Gianyar Regency. It aims to bridge the use of compost for the initiation of healthier paddy farming, while identifying ongoing business processes, potential environmental benefits, opportunities for mainstreaming healthier paddy farming, as well as the role of relevant stakeholders in realizing a circular economy business model that is sustainable and more independent. We interviewed 22 key informants. The results show that all villages have the same business model, viz. utilizing organic waste for composting, plastic waste for sorting and resale, and residual waste that will be sent to landfill because it has no economic value. Although the sale of compost is still an obstacle, there are opportunities if it can be synergized in the practice of paddy farming. This mainstreaming can be further synergized into food security projects that must be allocated from village funds. So, the role of the village government in this case is huge, followed by TPS3R management capabilities, while other parties such as NGOs, academics, and agricultural activists are only limited to functioning as encouragement and companions. If the TPS3R is successful, the village community will receive environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Method validation and dissipation kinetics of the novel HPPD-inhibiting herbicide cypyrafluone in winter wheat using QuEChERS method coupled with UPLC-MS/MS

Cypyrafluone, a novel hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)-inhibiting herbicide, can successfully control a wide species of grass and broadleaf weed in wheat fields. However, the dissipation behaviors and terminal residues of cypyrafluone in wheat fields remain unclear. Here, a simple, accurate, and dependable approach for the analysis of cypyrafluone in soil, wheat plant, and grain was constructed utilizing an adapted QuEChERS extraction combined with UPLC-MS/MS. For accurate quantification, matrix-matched calibrations with high linearity (R2 >0.99) were employed to eliminate matrix interference. The method possessed high accuracy with recoveries in the range of 85.5%− 100.6% and precision with relative standard deviations < 14.3%, as well as high sensitivity with limits of quantifications of 0.001 mg kg−1 in the three matrixes. The dissipation kinetics and terminal residues of cypyrafluone were determined at two separate locations with different climates, soil types and cropping systems in 2018. The half-lives of cypyrafluone in soil and wheat plant were 1.47–1.55 d and 1.00–1.03 d, respectively. At harvest, the terminal residue values of cypyrafluone detected in wheat plants were 0–0.0025 mg kg−1 and 0.0044–0.0057 mg kg−1 at the recommended dose and 1.5 times of the recommended dose, respectively, and 0.0049 mg kg−1 of this herbicide was detected in grain at 1.5 times of the recommended dose, which was below the maximum residue limit (MRL). Finally, the risk quotient for cypyrafluone ranged from 0.33% to 0.81% (<1) for different age groups in China, indicating that the impact of residues from the cypyrafluone application on wheat was acceptable. These findings above will offer scientific guidelines for cypyrafluone application in the wheat field ecosystem.

Exploring cattle sheds as complementary avifaunal habitat niches in rice dominated agricultural areas in Punjab, India

Avian diversity has often been studied in agricultural habitats, but ornithological aspect of cattle sheds has never been studied. This exploratory study was conducted with the objective of studying the potential of cattle sheds for sustaining avian abundance and diversity in rice dominated agricultural areas. The study was done in Rice Field Ecosystem (System I) and Cattle Shed Ecosystem (System II) during 2019 and 2020 monsoon crop season from selected villages, namely, Dangon, Pakhowal and Sarabha (district Ludhiana), Punjab. It was recorded that 26 avian species (mainly of grassland habitat) were present in cattle sheds from a total 34 avian species (wetland, grassland and open countryside inhabiting species) observed in rice fields, which reflected that cattle sheds support a wide proportion of avian fauna and complement rice fields in supporting and preserving avian abundance and diversity. There is immense need to explore and accordingly lay emphasis on boosting dairy as allied sector so that cattle sheds can be exploited in preservation of diverse avian populations and thereby reinforcing approach of sustainable agriculture. Keywords: Avian diversity, Avian feeding guilds, Cattle Shed, Grassland birds, Rice crop

Rice developmental stages modulate rhizosphere bacteria and archaea co-occurrence and sensitivity to long-term inorganic fertilization in a West African Sahelian agro-ecosystem

BackgroundRhizosphere microbial communities are important components of the soil-plant continuum in paddy field ecosystems. These rhizosphere communities contribute to nutrient cycling and rice productivity. The use of fertilizers is a common agricultural practice in rice paddy fields. However, the long-term impact of the fertilizers usage on the rhizosphere microbial communities at different rice developmental stages remains poorly investigated. Here, we examined the effects of long-term (27 years) N and NPK-fertilization on bacterial and archaeal community inhabiting the rice rhizosphere at three developmental stages (tillering, panicle initiation and booting) in the Senegal River Delta.ResultsWe found that the effect of long-term inorganic fertilization on rhizosphere microbial communities varied with the rice developmental stage, and between microbial communities in their response to N and NPK-fertilization. The microbial communities inhabiting the rice rhizosphere at panicle initiation appear to be more sensitive to long-term inorganic fertilization than those at tillering and booting stages. However, the effect of developmental stage on microbial sensitivity to long-term inorganic fertilization was more pronounced for bacterial than archaeal community. Furthermore, our data reveal dynamics of bacteria and archaea co-occurrence patterns in the rice rhizosphere, with differentiated bacterial and archaeal pivotal roles in the microbial inter-kingdom networks across developmental stages.ConclusionsOur study brings new insights on rhizosphere bacteria and archaea co-occurrence and the long-term inorganic fertilization impact on these communities across developmental stages in field-grown rice. It would help in developing strategies for the successful manipulation of microbial communities to improve rice yields.

Evaluation of Two Surface Renewal Methods for Calculating the Sensible Heat Flux over a Tea Field Ecosystem in Hilly Terrain

Seasonal drought happens frequently in the lower slope hilly areas of China, which leads to a huge economic loss to China’s famous tea production. An accurate determination of the evapotranspiration (ET) value of different seasons can provide a crucial decision parameter for irrigation management. The surface renewal (SR) method is an accurate and inexpensive method compared with the eddy covariance (EC) method, which is widely used to calculate the sensible heat flux (H). The latent heat flux (LE) evapotranspiration can be estimated indirectly when combined with the energy–balance equation. This research investigated the traditional and improved calculation methods of H (SRsnyder and SRchen), based on the surface renewal theory, over a tea field for one year. The calculation accuracy was obtained from the statistical analysis between the SR and EC methods. Different months’ applicability was evaluated to determine the best calculation method for the tea field. The traditional calculation method (SRsnyder) is based on the van slope model using the second, third, and fifth structure function. The improved SR model (SRchen) introduces a third order temperature function and friction velocity for calculation. The results indicate that SRchen shows a good calculation accuracy of H in the spring seasons (February to April), summer (May to July), and autumn (August to October). The determination coefficients of regression analysis (R2) ranges were [0.66, 0.88] with most values greater than 0.8. The root mean square error (RMSE) ranges were [34.15, 69.22] W/m2. However, during this period, SRsnyder had a poor calculation accuracy of H, and the range of R2 was [0.45, 0.74] with the RMSE ranges of [32.28, 63.25] W/m2. In the winter (November to January), the calculation accuracy of both models was relatively low with R2 almost 30% lower than that of other seasons. Therefore, this study suggests the use of the SRchen method to estimate the H of a tea field ecosystem in the low slope hilly area of the Yangtze River region in the spring, summer, and autumn. While in the winter, the SRsnyder method is recommended.

Temporal variation of aquatic insects biodiversity in selected rice fields of Saran district of Bihar

Rice is a major food crop of India. The rice cultivation has maintained its priority status in the agricultural sector of the country. The intensive management practices adopted by the practitioners have resulted in genetic erosion, thus affecting the species composition of the rice field ecosystems. There is obvious difference in species composition and community structure in upland and lowland rice fields and lowland fields has minimum pests affecting production of yield per hectare. This paper presents a work carried out on the biological diversity of lowland rice field ecosystems of India, and proposes the need for conservation strategies to ensure the sustainability of these rice growing ecosystems in the long run.

A Critical Review of Biochar Application for the Remediation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Nutrient Loss in Rice Paddies: Characteristics, Mechanisms, and Future Recommendations

Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and nutrient loss are considered to be critical environmental issues facing rice field ecosystems. Biochars (BCs), as carbon-rich materials with porous structures, large specific surface areas, and enriched surface functional groups, have shown great potential for improving environmental problems in rice fields and increasing rice yields. However, thus far, we still lack an adequate summary and review of the performance characteristics of BCs and their environmental behavior in paddy soils. In this paper, we critically review the positive effects of BC application on the growth and yield of rice, nutrient loss reduction, and GHG reduction. Biomass type, pyrolysis temperature, and modification method are considered to be the key factors that determine the performance characteristics of BCs. The application of BCs could promote rice yield and mitigate CO2, N2O, and CH4 emissions by improving soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities, providing nutrient sources, and reducing nutrient losses. Finally, this paper illustrates the potential ecological risks of BC application on paddy fields, including the risks of inconclusive research results and secondary pollution. These shortcomings need to be addressed in future research to ensure the sustainability of BC application.

ECOLEXICON OF BIOTA IN THE RICE FIELD ECOSYSTEM CONTEXT IN THE DIALECTICS OF AGRARISING CULTURE SHIFT OF SUMUR DISTRICT COMMUNITIES

The lexicon of biota in the rice field ecosystem is important and interesting to study. This paper aims to describe the form, function, and survival of the flora and fauna lexicon in the rice field ecosystem in the cultural context of the Sumur District, Pandeglang Regency, Banten Province. This paper utilizes the insights of ecolinguistic theory. Data collection was carried out using two techniques, namely (1) observation to obtain data on the form of the lexicon and (2) interviews with informants spread over seven villages to obtain data on the form, function, and persistence of the lexicon. The data analysis methods used are the translational equivalent method and the referential equivalent method. The data analysis technique used is the determining element sorting technique in the form of translational sorting power and referential sorting power. This paper has urgency as a form of documenting local culture and language that is beneficial for environmental or ecosystem conservation. The results of this study indicate that there is a rich flora and fauna ecolexicon which is expressed in Sundanese lingual units. Grammatically, the ecolexicon is in the form of words and phrases. However, the survival of the eco-collection has shifted due to changes in farming patterns and people's living culture.

Biodiversity and Distribution pattern of Hemipteran insect bugs associated with Rice field Ecosystem of Sivaganga, TamilNadu, India

Biodiversity and Distribution pattern of Hemipteran insect bugs associated with Rice field Ecosystem of Sivaganga, TamilNadu, India

PERFORMANCE STUDY OF IRRIGATION NETWORK IN RENGGUNG IRRIGUNG AREA, LOMBOK CENTRAL REGENCY

The impact of the decline in irrigation performance is direct and indirect. The direct impact is a decrease in productivity, a decrease in cropping intensity and an increase in farming risk. The indirect impact is the weakening of the farmer's commitment to maintaining the paddy field ecosystem because the poor performance of irrigation makes the land less conducive for farming, especially rice crops. In order to obtain an overview of the condition of the irrigation areas being managed, it is necessary to conduct a study of the irrigation areas, to determine the conditions of irrigation performance and to determine priorities for handling the rehabilitation of irrigation networks and to make policies. DI performance appraisal evaluation results. Renggung is 75.8% where the performance condition of Irrigation Area of Renggung Irrigation is Good Performance.

Investigating the Health of a Rice Field Ecosystem Using Thermodynamic Extremal Principles

This study investigates the dynamic behaviour of a rice field ecosystem and aims to define its integral features using the stability concept of an ecological goal function. This function is based on the extremal principles of thermodynamics, which assume that certain energetic processes of ecosystems—such as the rate of exergy destruction—are directed by the self-organizing informatics of the systems towards maxima or minima. In our study, we exploit the availability of substantially long time-series data relating to a rice field ecosystem to gain an evocative understanding of its growth trajectory in light of the thermodynamic principles. We accomplished this by constructing a model based on the STELLA 9.0 software and calculating the extremal values of growth rates (storage) and those of exergy destruction and entropy creation. The results showed that the values of both maximum dissipation and maximum exergy progressed apace with that of maximum storage till the maturation of rice and became stable thereafter, whereas maximum residence time and maximum specific dissipation values initially decreased before their asymptotic rise. A similar pattern was also observed for the maximum specific exergy. However, the maximum power dissipation curve followed a highly fluctuated course before becoming stable on the maturation of rice.

Determination of thiamethoxam residues and dissipation kinetic in tomato plants and its efficacy against Bemisia tabaci under open field eco system.

Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci cause important losses for many crops especially tomato, therefore farmers often use many chemical insecticides which had dangerous side effects on human beings and environment, thus there are need to determine the residues of these chemicals in plant . The dissipation of thiamethoxam in tomato leaves and fruits followed the first order kinetics; Half-lives were 2.91 and 3.15 days for fruits and leaves, respectively. The residues of thiamethoxam were determined using a QuEChERS method with HPLC-DAD and it was 0.14 mg/ kg in fruits after 7 days of treatment and less than the maximum residue limit (MRL 0.2 mg/kg. The residue in leaves was more than in fruits. Seedlings produced from treated seeds were more resistant to different stages of the whitefly population and protect tomato plants from whitefly infestation for 6-10 weeks after transplanting. The three sprays of thiamethoxam increased the reduction percentage of B. tabaci stages and the highest increase was recorded after the third spray in egg, nymph, and adult stages. It could be recommend that Thiamethoxam is considered an unconventional insecticide appropriate for B. tabaci control and safe for humans and the environment.

Effects of Composted Agricultural Organic Materials on Mercury Methylation in Paddy Soil and Mercury Enrichment in Rice.

Many studies have shown that returning fresh straw to the field can promote mercury accumulation in crops; therefore, it is necessary to find an appropriate way to use agricultural organic materials in mercury-contaminated farmlands. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to study the effects of composted agricultural organic materials on mercury bioaccumulation in the paddy field ecosystem by adding fresh rice straw (RS), composted rice straw (CRS), cow dung (CD) and composted cow dung (CCD) to the soils. Compared with RS and CD, the CRS and CCD amendments reduced dissolved organic matter (DOM) contents in soil, but increased the aromaticity and small molecule proportion of DOM, and also increased the tartaric acid contents in soil, as well as the methylation and release of mercury in soil. However, the increased available mercury and methylmercury in the soils in the CRS and CCD treatments were not effectively absorbed by rice plants. Overall, compared with fresh organic materials, composted organic materials amendments could reduce mercury accumulation in rice to a certain extent.

Potential to mitigate nitrogen emissions from paddy runoff: A microbiological perspective

Ditches and ponds are the basic units of agroecosystems that serve irrigation and drainage and also perform the natural ecological function of reducing nitrogen (N) emissions. To better enhance the design and advance management strategies in the paddy field ecosystem to minimize N emission, the N cycling microorganism in the paddy field ecosystem including interconnected fields with rice-wheat rotation, ditches, and ponds in central China was investigated by metagenomic techniques. Our results showed that ditches and ponds may be N removal hotspots by microorganisms in the rice and wheat seasons respectively. Given seasonal variation, the abundance of N-related microorganisms was high during the rice season. However, the Shannon and Simpson indices were lower and the microbial co-occurrence network was destabilized, which could make microbes in the rice season fragile and sensitive. Phytoplankton as key environmental factors affecting the N cycling microbial could promote more stable microbial communities through maintaining a good mutualistic symbiosis. While high algae concentration significantly promotes the abundance of norB than nosZ (P < 0.05), which may result in more N2O production. To trade off N removal and N2O emission, the algae concentration needs to be controlled. Our findings provide a systematic profile of N-related microorganisms in the paddy field ecosystem, and it would benefit in developing effective strategies for limiting N pollution in agriculture.

KEANEKARAGAMAN BELALANG (ORTHOPTERA : CAELIFERA) PADA AREA PERSAWAHAN DI DESA SEKETI, KECAMATAN MOJOAGUNG, KABUPATEN JOMBANG

Rice field ecosystem is an artificial ecosystem that is used in agriculture. Rice fields in Seketi Village have vegetation types of corn, sugar cane, and rice, so that it will affect of grasshopper diversity in each vegetation. The purpose of this study was to determine the diversity of grasshoppers (Caelifera) and to determine the effect of vegetation on the diversity of grasshoppers in the rice fields of Seketi Village. The method used is purposive sampling and direct capture, namely research by making 5 plots measuring 5m x 5m with different types of plant vegetation (paddy, corn, sugar cane) catching with Sweep Net (insect nets). The results showed that there were species of Phlaeoba antennata, Phlaeoba fomusa, Oxya chinensis, Valanga nigricornis, Caryanda spuria, Atractomorpha crenulata, and Tettigidea sp. with a total of 152 individuals from 3 families. The diversity index value shows that plot 4 (maize plants) has the highest H' = 1.58 with 6 species of grasshoppers found and plot 1 (cane plants) has the lowest diversity index value of H = 1.09. Based on the differences in the value of grasshopper diversity in each plot caused by different types of vegetation, habitat conditions, and abiotic factors.

Effects of tobacco plant residue return on rhizosphere soil microbial community

PurposeBased on the recycling principle, returning of tobacco crop residues into the field is a common agronomic practice. However, comprehensive knowledge about the effects of tobacco plant residue return on the rhizosphere soil microbial community is very limited.MethodsAfter tobacco crop residue returning into the potted soil, 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon sequencing were employed to investigate the bacterial and fungal communities, respectively, from the tobacco rhizosphere soils.ResultsThe results showed that tobacco residue returning increased the diversity of microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) and changed the species composition. It further increased the relative abundance of beneficial microorganisms. After tobacco residue returning, the structure of the rhizosphere soil microbial community network was found more complex with strong interactions among microbial species. In addition, the keystone species of bacterial and fungal communities associated with tobacco rhizosphere soil were altered. This had exerted a driving force to the beneficial bacteria such as Sphiningomonas and Psathyrella to the keystone microorganisms which played important roles in microbial species interaction.ConclusionsTobacco residue return into soil showed significant effects on the microbial diversity, community composition, network structure, keystone microorganisms, and ecosystem functions of tobacco rhizosphere soils. This study provides a scientific basis for the improvement of tobacco field ecosystem functioning and ensuring soil health.

Diseminasi Pemanfaatan Tumbuhan Refugia sebagai Alternatif Pengendalian Hama Tumbuhan pada Lahan Pertanian Desa Sungai Dua

Abstract: Purpose: PKM activities to encourage farmers to plant refugia around paddy fields to implement dissemination in the use of refugia plants in Sungai Dua Village. Efforts to increase the population of natural enemies are very important in maintaining the sustainability of the rice field ecosystem where the planting of refugia around is carried out in rice fields. Methodology/approach: Implementation activities through the introduction of innovations received through the process of listening, seeing, trying, evaluating, accepting, believing and implementing. Results/findings: There are many kinds of ornamental plants which are direct food sources for natural enemies (nectar and pollen) or can indirectly bring prey and hosts, in addition to controlling the microclimate based on the needs of natural enemies. Utilizing nectar and pollen from plants for natural enemies, both parasitoids and predators, can increase reproduction faster where more eggs will be produced. Conclusion: Community service activities carried out can be concluded as follows: Increasing the knowledge of PKM participants from members of the Sungai Dua Village Gapoktan experienced an increase in knowledge about the use of refugia plant technology as an alternative to environmentally friendly-based rice pest control Keywords: 1. refugia 2. rice 3. pests 4. natural enemies

Effects of different long-term fertilization patterns on net carbon sink effect and economic benefits in double cropping rice paddy ecosystem in southern China

There is close relationship between fertilizer managements and net carbon (C) sink effect, economic benefits in rice paddy ecosystem. Based on a long-term (35-year) field experiment, we analyzed the effects of different fertilization patterns on soil C sequestration rate, C density of topsoil, annual C balance, and economic benefits in the double cropping rice paddy in southern China. There were four fertilization treatments, chemical fertilizer alone (MF), rice straw and chemical fertilizer (RF), 30% organic manure and 70% chemical fertilizer (OM), and without any fertilizer input as a control (CK). The results showed that soil C pool in the double cropping rice paddy field under different fertilization treatments changed from 216.02 to 866.74 kg·hm-2·a-1, and soil C pool under OM treatment were significantly higher than that of MF, RF and CK. The soil C sequestration rates in the double cropping rice paddy field under different fertilization treatments ranged from 51.5 to 650.7 kg·hm-2·a-1, and that of C density of topsoil was from 55.64 to 78.42 t·hm-2. The order of soil C sequestration rates and C density of topsoil was OM>RF>MF>CK. The change range of C adsorption in the double cropping rice paddy field ecosystem was from 4.42 to 9.32 t C·hm-2·a-1, with an order of OM>RF>MF>CK. Compared with the MF treatment, soil net C sink under OM and RF treatments increased by 27.6% and 13.6%, respectively. The change range of C cost material input ranged from 1.49 to 2.17 t C·hm-2·a-1, and that of annual economic benefits was from 1.30×103 to 7.83×103 yuan·hm-2·a-1 with an order of RF>OM>MF>CK. The net income of economic benefits of OM, RF and MF treatments were significantly higher than that of CK. Generally, soil C sequestration rate, C sink effect and annual economic benefits were increased by the long-term application of organic manure and rice straw returning together with chemical fertilizer, which could increase soil organic carbon storage in the double cropping rice paddy field of southern China.

Analysis of the bacterial communities of four predatory natural enemies collected from a Northern China Bt cotton field

• 16 s RNA sequencing was used to study microbial diversity of four natural enemies. • Harmonia axyridis and Propylaea japonica have the highest microbial diversity. • There are three similar dominant phyla in H. axyridis and P. japonica . • They have 11 common dominant symbiotic bacteria. Predatory natural enemies are major insect species in cotton field ecosystems. Microbes that live inside these insects play essential roles in vital host activities, however, the microbiota of these insects have not been well characterized. In this study, we used Illumina 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to investigate microbial diversity of the natural enemies Chrysoperla sinica, Harmonia axyridis , Propylaea japonica and Orius similis from a cotton field in northern China. The microbial diversity of C. sinica was low and its dominant bacterial community were Rickettsia (87.78%) and Wolbachia (6.29%). The microbial community of O. similis was more diverse than that of C. sinica . The microbial diversity of H. axyridis and P. japonica was higher, and they had similar dominant phyla, which included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Their common dominant bacterial community were Romboutsia , Escherichia-Shigella , Bacteroides , Terrisporobacter , Enterobacter , Lactobacillus , Fusobacterium , Actinobacillus , Sphaerochaeta , Bacteroidales_S24-7_group and Cyanobacteria. This study also forms the basis for further study on the microbiota of natural enemies from different habitats.

Vegetation landscape and paleoenvironment evolution recorded at the late Neolithic Zhumucun site, East China

The paddy field ecosystem and diversified plant food resources in the middle and late Liangzhu Culture were revealed at the Zhumucun site. Based on pollen and phytolith records, this paper presents local vegetation landscape of the site: (1) evergreen-deciduous broad-leaved forests dominated by Quercus, Castanopsis, and Ulmus distributed on the nearby hills, (2) terrestrial herbs represented by Poaceae plants tend to expand on the plain, (3) aquatic plants such as Typha, Trapa, Myriophyllum and Euryale ferox grew in rivers and lakes, and (4) plants such as Phragmites australis, Echinochloa, Polygonum lapathifolium, Haloragidaceae, Rumex, Cyperus, Cyperaceae, and Polygonaceae were distributed in and around the wetland. Water activities tended to be intense, and the climate was generally warm and humid with short-term anomalously cold or wet fluctuations. This is in line with the characteristics of environmental changes revealed by regional natural accumulations. In this conditions, local rice ecosystem was recorded with diachronic changes.