Natural Soil Research Articles

Optimal economic environmental power dispatch by using artificial bee colony algorithm

<span>Today, most power plants worldwide use fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal, and oil as the primary resource for energy reproduction primarily. The new term for economic environmental power dispatch (EEPD) problems is on the minimum total cost of the generator and fossil fuel emissions to address atmosphere pollution. Thus, the significant objective functions are identified to minimize the cost of generation, most minor emission pollutants, and lowest system losses individually. As an alternative, an Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) swarming algorithm is applied to solve the EEPD problem separately in the power systems on both standard IEEE 26 bus system and IEEE 57 bus system using a MATLAB programming environment. The performance of the introduced algorithm is measured based on simple mathematical analysis such as a simple deviation and its percentage from the obtained results. From the mathematical measurement, the ABC algorithm showed an improvement on each identified single objective function as compared with the gradient approach of using the Newton Raphson method in a short computational time.</span>

Managing risk and reaping rewards: Climate‐change futures as a game‐changer for energy futures markets

AbstractClimate‐change futures provide a platform for low‐carbon portfolios and energy market risk hedging. Climate changes induce uncertainty in energy‐commodity markets. We investigate the potential of diversifying and hedging energy‐commodity market risk with climate‐change futures, using dynamic conditional correlation (DCC)‐ordinary least squares (OLS) incorporating quantile‐dummies and cross‐quantilogram (CQ) approaches. DCC‐OLS models reveal that the World and USA climate‐change futures exhibit that they can be diversifiers for oil, ethanol, gasoil, and gasoline. These futures also exhibit hedging features for natural gas, coal, and heating oil. Euro climate‐change futures demonstrate hedging capabilities for all energy commodities except oil and gasoil. World, USA, and Euro climate‐change futures have the potential to serve as safe‐haven financial instruments in the face of the high volatility of Brent crude oil, gasoil, and heating oil. The CQ reveals that World, USA, and Euro climate‐change futures exhibit hedging and safe‐haven capacity against oil, natural gas, coal, gasoil, gasoline, and heating futures. Climate‐change futures may protect financial investments during extreme volatility in energy commodities.

Drought response revealed by chromatin organization variation and transcriptional regulation in cotton

BackgroundCotton is a major world cash crop and an important source of natural fiber, oil, and protein. Drought stress is becoming a restrictive factor affecting cotton production. To facilitate the development of drought-tolerant cotton varieties, it is necessary to study the molecular mechanism of drought stress response by exploring key drought-resistant genes and related regulatory factors.ResultsIn this study, two cotton varieties, ZY007 (drought-sensitive) and ZY168 (drought-tolerant), showing obvious phenotypic differences under drought stress, were selected. A total of 25,898 drought-induced genes were identified, exhibiting significant enrichment in pathways related to plant stress responses. Under drought induction, At subgenome expression bias was observed at the whole-genome level, which may be due to stronger inhibition of Dt subgenome expression. A gene co-expression module that was significantly associated with drought resistance was identified. About 90% of topologically associating domain (TAD) boundaries were stable, and 6613 TAD variation events were identified between the two varieties under drought. We identified 92 genes in ZY007 and 98 in ZY168 related to chromatin 3D structural variation and induced by drought stress. These genes are closely linked to the cotton response to drought stress through canonical hormone-responsive pathways, modulation of kinase and phosphatase activities, facilitation of calcium ion transport, and other related molecular mechanisms.ConclusionsThese results lay a foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanism of the cotton drought response and provide important regulatory locus and gene resources for the future molecular breeding of drought-resistant cotton varieties.

Impact of wave action on the entrainment rate and droplet size of oil

Oil dispersed on the water surface undergoes fragmentation into droplets, subsequently entering the water column under wave action. The oil entrainment rate and the droplet size distribution (DSD) significantly influence the subsequent migration and transformation of oil in the water column. A wave tank system was employed to investigate the impact of wave action on oil entrainment rate and DSD. The experimental results revealed that increased wave height and wave frequency facilitated the entry of oil into the water column and fragmented it into dispersed droplets. Relationships between oil entrainment rate and energy dissipation, as well as DSD, were established and supported by mathematical regression analyses. Non-linear regression analysis indicated that the cumulative frequency distribution of DSD adhered to the Log-Normal and Rosin-Rammler distributions. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of natural oil dispersion and subsea transport, valuable for estimating the origin of oil spills.

Coordination among leaf and fine-root traits along a strong natural soil fertility gradient

Coordination among leaf and fine-root traits along a strong natural soil fertility gradient

Short-term effects of irrigation and nitrogen management on paddy soil carbon pools under deep placement of basal fertilizer nitrogen

Active soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions are major driving factors of soil fertility. Understanding the effects of water and fertilizer management on changes in active SOC fractions helps improve soil quality and maintain high agricultural productivity. We conducted a 3-year field experiment in Northeast China. In this experiment, natural soil (CKT) was used as a blank, and two irrigation regimes were established: conventional flooded irrigation (FI) and controlled irrigation (CI). Four nitrogen application levels were set for both irrigation regimes under deep placement of basal fertilizer N: Nd0 (0 kg ha–1), Nd (110 kg ha–1), Nd1 (99 kg ha–1), and Nd2 (88 kg ha–1). After 3 years, at similar N fertilizer application rate, the rice yield, total organic carbon (TOC), and active SOC fraction content of CI were higher under CI than FI. The growth rate of rice yield was 3.8% − 8.63% under CI than FI. Under CI, the rice yield, active SOC fractions contents and carbon pool management index (CPMI) did not decrease with decreasing N application rate but instead reached the highest level in the CNd1 treatment. Overall, CI with Nd1 treatment appears to be the best practice for improving soil fertility and crop productivity in Northeast China.

Selected trace element uptake by rice grain as affected by soil arsenic, water management and cultivar -a field investigation

Accumulation of arsenic (As) in rice grain was reported in many regions of the world, including the United States, which has been a threat to human health. This field research investigated the grain As accumulation and its relationship with the uptake of selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), and cadmium (Cd) in soils with and without monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) amended, as effects of selected rice cultivars and water management. Results indicated that MSMA increased the accumulation of As and Se but decreased Mo for all six cultivars under four irrigation management. MSMA also increased grain-Cd in some cultivars. In no MSMA-amended soil (Native soil), intermittent flooding decreased grain-As by 66%, grain-Se by 21%, and grain-Mo by 63%, but increased grain-Cd by 64% in Zhe 733, a straighthead resistant cultivar, while in MSMA-amended soil, intermittent flooding decreased grain-As by 63% and grain-Mo by 44% but increased grain-Se by 68% and grain-Cd by three times. For all other five cultivars, intermittent flooding generally decreased grain-As and grain-Mo but increased grain-Se and grain-Cd. Zhe 733 cultivar resulted in the lowest grain concentrations of all trace elements in all water treatments. A negative grain As-Se correlation and a positive grain As-Mo correlation were significant but not the As-Cd correlation. This research showed that the uptake of As, Se, Mo, and Cd by rice grain occurred as a complex function of multiple variables, including cultivar type and soil chemistry. As a result, accumulation of As and other trace elements in rice grain may be controlled by selecting appropriate cultivars and adopting appropriate water management practices.

The Impact of 9 Years of Swine Wastewater Application on the Mineral and Organic Quality of Soil in Various Agricultural Crops

This study evaluates the long-term effects of swine wastewater (SWW) on relevant parameters for soil fertility, including calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) cations, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and organic matter (OM) in an agricultural area with 9 years of crop cultivation. Three types of SWW (raw, after leaving the biodigester, and after the manure plant) were analyzed with four application rates of SWW (0, 100, 200, and 300 m3.ha−1), associated or not with mineral fertilization, resulting in eight treatments. The study found that the long-term use of SWW had significant effects on soil parameters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to summarize the data. The soil’s calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) levels were higher in soybean compared to other crops and natural soil. Similarly, the treatment with 0 m3.ha−1 of pig manure and without mineral fertilization showed higher levels of these nutrients. In contrast, potassium (K) was found in greater quantities in oats, SWW from the biodigester, higher doses of manure, and with mineral fertilization. The crops had a higher organic matter (OM) content compared to the natural soil, with corn and raw SWW showing the most significant increase.

Life Cycle Assessment for the Use of Waste Plastics in Asphalt Concrete Mixes

Improper waste disposal poses the risk of contaminating natural water bodies and soil. The low recycling rate of plastics and their fate in landfills are significant global environmental concerns. Efforts to increase the use of recycled plastics worldwide aim to address the hazardous consequences of improper plastic treatment. One potential solution is incorporating plastics as binder or mixture modifiers in asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures, which repurposes waste plastics while reducing environmental impacts related to AC production. This study calculated the environmental impacts of repurposing waste plastics, specifically low-density polyethylene and polystyrene, into modifiers in AC mixes. Wet and dry processes were considered. The environmental impacts of plastic-modified AC mixes were compared with those of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)-modified mixes. The life cycle assessment covered the following processes: (1) collection, sorting, and shredding of waste plastics; (2) transportation of waste plastics from landfill to recycling facility and then to the asphalt plant; (3) supply and transportation of virgin materials; (4) production of AC mixtures; (5) transport of material and equipment to site; and (6) onsite operations. The study concluded that waste plastic-modified mixes outperformed SBS-modified mixtures with regard to environmental performance, except for ozone depletion resulting from certain recycling process activities. The high-shear mixing in the wet process had a significant impact. Sensitivity analyses revealed the influence of binder content and material transportation on the overall environmental assessment.

Decarbonising LNG value chain using carbon capture and storage: why, where, how much and what are the limitations?

As a result of global aspirations to achieve energy transition along with the desire to ensure energy security, energy exporters proposed a series of new ‘carbon-neutral’ products – liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil. In 2019, a new market was officially born after the first-in-history shipment of carbon-neutral LNG cargo from Shell to Japanese Tokyo Gas. Until 2021, it grew rapidly, however in 2022, announcements about volumes delivered to the customers significantly dropped. In this paper, we will explore the reasons for this dynamic, review perspectives of the carbon-neutral fuels markets, and explore the potential steps that producers and consumers could undertake to achieve global climate targets. We specifically focus on the consequences of implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. Based on the data on the world CCS facilities, provided by the International Energy Agency, we conduct preliminary analysis of the capital costs associated with the construction of carbon capture, utilisation, and storage facilities. After that, we apply the cost estimation method (class 5) based on the US Department of Energy Classification, to estimate the costs of using CCS for emissions management in different regions/countries. As a result, the study demonstrates that due to the various economic, geographical and infrastructural limitations, it is more feasible to implement CCS on the producer’s side than on the consumer’s side. We also show what level of CCS implementation within the LNG value chain is economically feasible for different market participants and what the costs are.

Effect of Soil Acidification on Temperature Sensitivity of Soil Respiration

Soil pH significantly impacts microbial activity and community assembly, which in turn determines the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil respiration. Due to the high soil acidification in China, it is necessary to understand how soil acidification impacts Q10. Here, the Q10 of soil respiration was examined in a long-term field experiment (1982–present) with different soil pH caused by fertilization management. In this experiment, we selected treatments with neutral pH: (1) no crops and fertilization (CK); (2) crops without fertilization (NF); low pH with (3) crops with chemical fertilization (NPK); and (4) crops with chemical fertilization combined with wheat straw incorporation (WS). Under natural soil temperature changes, we observed that soil acidification lowered the Q10 value of soil respiration. Considering only temperature changes, the Q10 of soil respiration was strongly associated with microbial community composition, alpha diversity, and soil ammonium nitrogen. Considering the interaction between soil pH and temperature, warming strengthened the negative effect of soil pH on the Q10 of soil respiration, and the pathway through which soil pH mediated Q10 included not only microbial community composition, alpha diversity, and biomass but also the soil’s available phosphorus. This work enhanced our insights into the relationships between Q10, temperature, and soil pH by identifying important microbial properties and key soil environmental factors.

The influence of doping with different surface modified SiO2 nanoparticles on the dielectric properties of natural ester insulating oil

Nanoparticles are presently considered to be high-potential filler materials in insulation medium. Surface-modified nanoparticles can not only improve the compatibility between nanoparticles and insulation liquid but also enhance the dielectric properties. Herein, models of soybean oil-based natural ester insulation oil doped with two silane coupling agents (A151, KH550) modified SiO2 were established, respectively. Molecular dynamics and DFT first principles were applied to explore the effect of two nanoparticles on the dielectric properties of liquid-insulation medium. The results showed that two types of nanoparticles can restrict the diffusion of water molecules by forming hydrogen bonds, while the number of hydrogen bonds in KH550–SiO2 is one-third more than that in A151-SiO2, and the interaction energy is lower, demonstrating a stronger adsorption effect on water molecules. Moreover, surface electrostatic potential and frontier molecular orbitals showed that KH550–SiO2 have a higher adsorption on charged particles in natural ester insulation oil, which can further inhibit the development of streamer discharge in the liquid insulation medium, improve its dielectric property and delay the aging and deterioration of natural ester insulation oil. This study extends our knowledge into the influence of silane coupling agents modified SiO2 nanoparticles on the dielectric performance of liquid insulation materials from a microscopic perspective.

Moving towards a mechanistic understanding of biostimulant impacts on soil properties and processes: a semi-systematic review

Biostimulants are gaining prominence in scientific research, with the potential to enhance plant productivity through benefits to crop yield/quality and tolerance to environmental stresses. Through possible improvements to nutrient use efficiency, they may also lessen the adverse environmental impacts of conventional inorganic fertilizer use in agriculture. The application of biostimulants is currently uncommon as a farming practice, with uncertain effectiveness in delivering these potential benefits. Current research focuses on biostimulant effects on plant physiological changes. There is little scientific evidence on the impact of biostimulants on soil properties (biological, physical, or chemical) or soil functions. This knowledge gap should be addressed considering the vital role of soil processes in the bioavailability of nutrients, as reflected in crop productivity. This review evaluates laboratory and field experimental work on the effectiveness of common, non-microbial biostimulants, with a focus on their modes of action within the soil matrix. Of 2,097 initial articles returned through the search strings, 10 were within the scope of this review. A common soil biostimulant mechanism emerges from this literature. This relates to the supply of nutrients provided by the biostimulants, which stimulate native soil microbiology in mineralizing organic material in the soil, thus producing more bioavailable nutrients for plant uptake. Additionally, some articles link biostimulant effects to soil physical and chemical changes, which in turn impact soil biology (and vice versa). However, there is inconsistent evidence to provide full support for these explanatory mechanisms. This review highlights the need for further research into the effect of biostimulants on the native soil microbiology and associated soil properties, to provide greater clarity on biostimulants’ modes of action and greater mechanistic insights into how they can be used to improve crop production.

Linking phosphorus fertility to soil microbial diversity and network complexity in citrus orchards: Implications for sustainable agriculture

Continuous input of chemical fertilizers causes soil acidification, land degradation, and water eutrophication, but its impact on soil microbial communities and co-occurrence patterns of microboes is unclear. In this study, we evaluated the impact of chemical fertilizer on bacterial community diversity and ecological network at 75 citrus sites in a watershed where chemical fertilizer is continuously applied. In addition, 25 natural forest sites adjacent to citrus sites were used as references to compare the potential effects of land conversion from natural forests to citrus orchards on soil bacterial diversity and microbial network. The results showed that the cultivation of citrus results in soil phosphorus (P) accumulation, with significantly higher available and mineral-bound phosphate contents than those found in soils of natural forests. Citrus soil average soil available P was 73.2 mg/kg, which was 20 times higher than that in forest soils. As the P content accumulates, soil bacterial Shannon index linearly decreases from 7.06 to 5.93 and is significantly lower than that of adjacent natural forest soils (7.13). Low P fertility soils have higher microbial network complexity and stability, containing more microbial communities and tighter relationships between microbes compared to higher P fertility soils. Soil P content and soil pH regulates soil microbial network complexity and stability. In addition, soil bacterial community structure in soils of natural forests is significantly different from that in citrus soils, and the bacterial community structure in high P soils is different from that in medium and low P soils. Soil P fertility reduces the relative abundance of dominant communities including Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Gemmatimonadetes, and also changes the relative abundance of some functional microbial communities, such as some phosphorus cycling microorganisms, including Acetobacteraceae and Beijerinckiaceae. In conclusion, soil phosphate accumulation severely alters soil bacterial community diversity, complexity, stability, and functionality. This could have negative impacts on soil functional stability and the sustainability of citrus orchards.

Preparation and Biological Activity Studies of Octenyl Succinic Anhydride Starch-Based Emulsions Containing Natural Essential Oils and Their Components

In this study, clove essential oil (CL), eugenol (EU), and cinnamaldehyde (CI) were immobilized in starch sodium octenyl succinate (SSO) using an emulsification method. The main characteristics, stability, and biological properties of the prepared emulsions were established. Particle size analyses using dynamic light scattering showed that the smaller droplets were characteristic of emulsions containing CI (205–218 nm) and EU (181–236 nm), while the largest droplets were determined for CL emulsions (293–348 nm). Moreover, the highest antioxidant activity was determined for CL (79–83%) and EU (80–88%) emulsions, while CI emulsions showed the greatest antibacterial activity. The obtained emulsions were applied to the paper sheets and the bioactive properties of coated paper were studied. Evaluation of antioxidant properties revealed that high antioxidant activity reaching 76–92% and 87–91% was characteristic of coatings containing CL and EU, respectively. Meanwhile, coatings containing CI showed quite low antioxidant activity (4–9%) but demonstrated the greatest antimicrobial effect on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as yeasts. Hence, CL and EU emulsions could be used as effective natural antioxidants, whereas CI emulsions could be applied as an antimicrobial agent on cellulose-based substrates for a wide range of human health protection applications.

Molecular Composition of Humic Acids of Different Aged Fallow Lands and Soils of Different Types of Use in Northwest of Russia

Post-agrogenic transformation of fallow soils leads to changes in soil carbon content, the molecular composition of humic substances, and rates of organic matter stabilization, which can affect climate change on the planet. In this regard, we analyzed the molecular composition of humic acids isolated from natural and fallow soils in the southern Taiga zone of northwest Russia. Different-aged soils on fallow lands represent a model of soil transformation in time, and data on the transformation of soil humic acid molecular composition make a significant contribution to the understanding of soil organic matter stabilization aspect issues. In this case, the molecular structure of humic acids isolated from natural and fallow soils in northwest Russia was analyzed. To study the molecular composition of HAs, the elemental composition was analyzed, and 13C (CP/MAS) NMR spectroscopy of HAs isolated from different aged abandoned soils and soils of different types of use was carried out. The obtained data showed that with the increasing age of soils in the fallow state, there is an increase in the carbon content of humic acids as well as a decrease in nitrogen content. As a result of the increasing age of soils in the fallow state, there are dynamics in the content of aromatic structural fragments in humic acids: 34% for 40 years old, 28% for 80 years old, and 31% for 120 years old. This is due to changes in the precursors of humification and the further transformation of plant residues in the soil. Re-involved fallow land soils lead to an increase in the content of aromatic structural fragments in the composition of HA in relation to HA extracted from mature soils. The lowest content of aromatic structural fragments was observed in the humic acids of 130-year-old agricultural soil, which is associated with the long-term application of organic fertilizers.

Wastewater purification and recycling using plants in an arid environment for agricultural purposes: case of the Algerian Sahara

The aim of this study is to apply a water treatment technique (phyto-purification) in the Algerian Sahara, an arid region, to resolve the scarcity of irrigation, recycled wastewater and preserve Saharian ecosystems composed of sand and two species of aquatic plants: Typha latifolia and Imperata cylindrica. The choice of these plants was determined based on the natural vegetation, soil and climatic characteristics of the study area. To this end, we developed an experimental pilot composed of three tanks measuring 30 cm × 35 cm × 45 cm, arranged with a filter bed of sand and gravel. Two of these tanks are sown with the above-mentioned plants, while the third tank, serving as a control, is not. The values of the main wastewater pollution parameters, namely total nitrogen compounds, ammonium (NH4+), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and suspended solids measured at the outlet of the device, substantiate the performance of this treatment system. Indeed, the nitrogen reduction rate increased from 63% in the unplanted control filters to around 80% in the planted filters, and from 81 to 88% for NO3−. Regarding chemical oxygen demand (COD), the reduction rate exceeds 88.37% for the three tanks. The study of the analytical approach to modeling the purification kinetics reveals that the kinetics of COD and NH4+ are well correlated with the first-order model, with an explained variance varying between 68.1 and 81.6% for COD and 83.5 and 92.3% for ammonium. The Riverside diagram highlights that all treated water samples fall into the low sodium risk and high salinity risk class. Build on the Na% values; all purified waters have characteristics suitable for water use for irrigation.

Intensive Citrus Cultivation Suppresses Soil Phosphorus Cycling Microbial Activity

Soil microbes are key drivers in regulating the phosphorus cycle. Elucidating the microbial mineralization process of soil phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria is of great significance for improving nutrient uptake and yield of crops. This study investigated the mechanism by which citrus cultivation affects the soil microbial acquisition strategy for phosphorus by measuring the abundance of the phoD gene, microbial community diversity and structure, and soil phosphorus fractions in the soils of citrus orchards and adjacent natural forests. The results showed that citrus cultivation could lead to a decrease in soil pH and an accumulation of available phosphorus in the soil, with a content as high as 112 mg·kg-1, which was significantly higher than that of natural forests (3.7 mg·kg-1). Citrus cultivation also affected the soil phosphorus fractions, with citrus soil having higher levels of soluble phosphorus (CaCl2-P), citrate-extractable phosphorus (Citrate-P), and mineral-bound phosphorus (HCl-P). The phosphorus fractions of natural forest soils were significantly lower than those of citrus soils, whereas the phoD gene abundance and alkaline phosphatase activity were significantly higher in natural forest soils than in citrus soils. High-throughput sequencing results showed that the Shannon diversity index of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria in citrus soils was 4.61, which was significantly lower than that of natural forests (5.35). The microbial community structure in natural forests was also different from that of citrus soils. In addition, the microbial community composition of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria in citrus soils was also different from that of natural forests, with the relative abundance of Proteobacteria being lower in natural forest soils than in citrus soils. Therefore, citrus cultivation led to a shift of soil microbial acquisition strategy for phosphorus, with external phosphorus addition being the main strategy in citrus soils, whereas microbial mineralization of organic phosphorus was the main strategy in natural forest soils to meet their growth requirements.

Tracing the contribution and fate of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer in young apple orchard agrosystems

Excessive synthetic nitrogen (N) inputs in intensive orchard agrosystems of developing countries are a growing concern regarding their adverse impacts on fruit production and the environment. Quantifying the distribution and contribution of fertilizer N is essential for increasing N use efficiency and minimizing N loss in orchards. A 15N tracer experiment was performed in a young dwarf apple orchard over two growing seasons to determine the fertilizer N transformation and fate. Fertilizer N primarily contributed to 25 % to 75 % of soil nitrate in the top 60 cm, but the contribution to soil microbial biomass N and fixed ammonium was <8 %, with the contribution to plant N ranging from 9 % to 19 %. In most growth periods, soil nitrate and fixed ammonium contents derived from native soil with N fertilization were higher than those not receiving N fertilizer. The N use efficiency of plants was only 2.6 % and 4.9 % in the first and second seasons, respectively, in contrast to 56.6 % and 54.0 % of N recovered in soil. Meanwhile, N assimilated into microbial biomass accounted for 0.8 %, and the proportion fixed by clay minerals was 3.5 %–5.2 %. One season after N fertilization, the nitrate below the 1 m soil layers accounted for 4.6 % of the applied N fertilizer, and the proportion increased to 22.5 % after two seasons. The N loss rate via N2O emission was 0.4 % over two years. The application of N fertilizer facilitated indigenous soil N mineralization, and abiotic ammonium fixation more efficiently retained synthetic N than microbial immobilization. These findings provide new insight into orchard N cycling, and attention should be given to the improvement of soil N retention and turnover capacity regulated by soil microbial and abiotic processes, as well as the potential environmental impacts of additional soil N mineralization resulting from prolonged chemical N fertilization.

Hg Content Characteristics and Safe Planting Zoning of Paddy Soil and Rice in Guizhou Province

Guizhou Province ranks first in terms of Hg reserves and production in the country, and rice is its largest grain crop. In order to study the characteristics and pollution causes of soil-rice Hg content at the provincial level in Guizhou and to carry out safe planting zoning, 1 564 pairs of soil-rice samples, 470 natural soil samples, and 203 individual paddy soil samples were collected to test their Hg content and basic physical and chemical properties of the soil. The results showed that:① Paddy soil was mainly neutral and acidic, the paddy soil ω (Hg) range was 0.005-93.06 mg·kg-1, and the geometric mean was 0.864 mg·kg-1. The Hg content of paddy soil in Guizhou Province was significantly higher than that in natural soil (0.16 mg·kg-1,P &lt; 0.05). Compared with the filtered value and control value, the soil samples exceeded the standard by 63.25% and 14.71%, respectively. Among them, the soil Hg pollution in Danzhai County of Qiandongnan Prefecture, Wuchuan County of Zunyi City, Zhenfeng County of Qianxinan Prefecture, and Wanshan District of Tongren City was more prominent. ② Rice ω(Hg) ranged from 0.000 5 to 0.52 mg·kg-1, and the geometric mean was 0.010 mg·kg-1, the percentage of rice Hg content exceeding the standard was 25.87%, and the exceeding points were mainly distributed in Suiyang County of Zunyi City, Zhenfeng County of Qianxinan Prefecture, Xixiu District of Anshun City, Bijiang District of Tongren City, and other industrial and mining activity-intensive areas. ③ The majority of the study area was in the priority protection category (74.75%); the safe use category accounted for (24.62%); and the strictly controlled category (0.93%) was scattered in Danzhai County at the border between Qiannan Prefecture and Qiandongnan Prefecture, Zhenfeng County in Qianxinan Prefecture, and Wanshan District in Tongren. It is not recommended to plant rice, which can be used as feed for reproduction.