How Dryland-to-Paddy Conversion Affects the Carbon Emission Efficiency in the Short Term: Evidence from Soil Carbon-Fixing Bacteria and the Carbon Pool in an Experimental Study

Yongjun Yang, Renjie Gong, Xuyue Pan, Xiaoxiao Li (), Ziyi Hua, Jing Ma, Xueying Duan and Fu Chen ()
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Yongjun Yang: School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Renjie Gong: School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Xuyue Pan: School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Xiaoxiao Li: Institute of Eco-Environment and Plant Protection, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Ziyi Hua: School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Jing Ma: School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Xueying Duan: School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Fu Chen: School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: To amplify grain production capacity, a global trend is emerging in which many regions are transitioning from dependence on rainfall to irrigated agriculture. An illustrative example of this form of land consolidation is the conversion from dryland to paddy fields, which has changed the ecological environment of farmlands, resulting in significant effects on carbon fixation and emissions. However, there currently exists a deficiency in essential understanding regarding the short-term effects of dryland-to-paddy conversion on ecological processes tied to soil carbon-fixation bacteria and carbon emission efficiency (CEE). Therefore, field monitoring and high-throughput sequencing were carried out to monitor the changes in soil carbon emission efficiency and carbon-fixation bacteria before and after the conversion. Our results indicate that while conversion from dryland to paddy fields can boost grain yield, it also results in an increase in soil carbon emissions and a consequent decrease of 25.78% in carbon emission efficiency. This transition has resulted in an increased soil carbon-fixing bacterial alpha diversity index and enhanced network complexity. The structural equation model indicates that changes in soil environmental factors, especially soil moisture, soil organic carbon (SOC), readily oxidizable carbon (ROC), and carbon-fixing bacteria, are the primary drivers of CEE variation ( p < 0.05). Given the critical role that the soil carbon cycle plays in global climate change, there is a pressing need for increased global attention towards the carbon emissions triggered by the transition from rainfed to irrigated agriculture.

Keywords: land consolidation; carbon-fixing bacteria; carbon emission efficiency; carbon sequestration mechanism; land use conversion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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