Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon Transformation

Iron redox cycling in paddy soils drives the release and mineralisation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), influencing the emission of CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub>. Light irradiation exerts an inhibitory effect on the mineralisation of soil organic carbon, but the respon...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lirong Sun, Mengxiao Jiang, Meng Li, Xugang Wang, Yafeng Han, Xianni Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/5/1137
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849327751195000832
author Lirong Sun
Mengxiao Jiang
Meng Li
Xugang Wang
Yafeng Han
Xianni Chen
author_facet Lirong Sun
Mengxiao Jiang
Meng Li
Xugang Wang
Yafeng Han
Xianni Chen
author_sort Lirong Sun
collection DOAJ
description Iron redox cycling in paddy soils drives the release and mineralisation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), influencing the emission of CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub>. Light irradiation exerts an inhibitory effect on the mineralisation of soil organic carbon, but the responses to light intensity of iron redox processes coupled with organic carbon transformation and greenhouse gas emissions remain underexplored. Here, we conducted a slurry incubation experiment with paddy soil at varying light intensities. The dynamics of soil ferrous iron [Fe(II)], DOC, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and chlorophyll a, as well as headspace CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub>, were monitored over a 40-day period. The results demonstrated that light irradiation inhibited iron reduction, leading to a 58.1–74.7% decrease in soil Fe(II) concentration compared to dark incubation. The oxidation of Fe(II) generated from iron reduction was enhanced under light incubation (3.12–3.53 mg g<sup>−1</sup>), and the oxidation rate constant trended higher with increasing light intensity. Light irradiation reduced CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions to 8.8–76.9% and 2.3–6.7% of those under dark incubation, respectively. With the extension of incubation time, soil DIC concentration showed an increase followed by a decrease under light incubation, and the earlier DIC decrease occurred at higher light intensities. The DOC decrease rate constant was greater under light incubation (0.024–0.042 d<sup>−1</sup>) than under dark incubation (0.012 d<sup>−1</sup>). Light irradiation activated phototrophic microorganisms producing chlorophyll a (4.71–6.46 mg g<sup>−1</sup>), whereas this pigment was undetectable under dark incubation. Organic carbon mineralisation was positively correlated with Fe(II) concentration, and Fe(II) oxidation was positively correlated with chlorophyll a concentration and DOC decrease (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Agricultural practices optimizing light exposure, such as shallow flooding or reducing plant density, are promising approaches to bolster DOC sequestration and mitigate CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions in paddy fields.
format Article
id doaj-art-9a4b1d01c68b48da9acf50afba80dfa0
institution Kabale University
issn 2073-4395
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Agronomy
spelling doaj-art-9a4b1d01c68b48da9acf50afba80dfa02025-08-20T03:47:48ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-05-01155113710.3390/agronomy15051137Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon TransformationLirong Sun0Mengxiao Jiang1Meng Li2Xugang Wang3Yafeng Han4Xianni Chen5College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science & Technology, Luoyang 471003, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science & Technology, Luoyang 471003, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science & Technology, Luoyang 471003, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science & Technology, Luoyang 471003, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science & Technology, Luoyang 471003, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Henan University of Science & Technology, Luoyang 471003, ChinaIron redox cycling in paddy soils drives the release and mineralisation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), influencing the emission of CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub>. Light irradiation exerts an inhibitory effect on the mineralisation of soil organic carbon, but the responses to light intensity of iron redox processes coupled with organic carbon transformation and greenhouse gas emissions remain underexplored. Here, we conducted a slurry incubation experiment with paddy soil at varying light intensities. The dynamics of soil ferrous iron [Fe(II)], DOC, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and chlorophyll a, as well as headspace CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub>, were monitored over a 40-day period. The results demonstrated that light irradiation inhibited iron reduction, leading to a 58.1–74.7% decrease in soil Fe(II) concentration compared to dark incubation. The oxidation of Fe(II) generated from iron reduction was enhanced under light incubation (3.12–3.53 mg g<sup>−1</sup>), and the oxidation rate constant trended higher with increasing light intensity. Light irradiation reduced CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions to 8.8–76.9% and 2.3–6.7% of those under dark incubation, respectively. With the extension of incubation time, soil DIC concentration showed an increase followed by a decrease under light incubation, and the earlier DIC decrease occurred at higher light intensities. The DOC decrease rate constant was greater under light incubation (0.024–0.042 d<sup>−1</sup>) than under dark incubation (0.012 d<sup>−1</sup>). Light irradiation activated phototrophic microorganisms producing chlorophyll a (4.71–6.46 mg g<sup>−1</sup>), whereas this pigment was undetectable under dark incubation. Organic carbon mineralisation was positively correlated with Fe(II) concentration, and Fe(II) oxidation was positively correlated with chlorophyll a concentration and DOC decrease (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Agricultural practices optimizing light exposure, such as shallow flooding or reducing plant density, are promising approaches to bolster DOC sequestration and mitigate CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions in paddy fields.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/5/1137Fe(III) reductionFe(II) oxidationlight intensitygreenhouse gasesorganic carbon mineralisation
spellingShingle Lirong Sun
Mengxiao Jiang
Meng Li
Xugang Wang
Yafeng Han
Xianni Chen
Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon Transformation
Agronomy
Fe(III) reduction
Fe(II) oxidation
light intensity
greenhouse gases
organic carbon mineralisation
title Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon Transformation
title_full Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon Transformation
title_fullStr Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon Transformation
title_full_unstemmed Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon Transformation
title_short Increased Light Intensity Mitigates CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> Emissions from Paddy Soil by Mediating Iron Redox Cycling Coupled with Organic Carbon Transformation
title_sort increased light intensity mitigates co sub 2 sub and ch sub 4 sub emissions from paddy soil by mediating iron redox cycling coupled with organic carbon transformation
topic Fe(III) reduction
Fe(II) oxidation
light intensity
greenhouse gases
organic carbon mineralisation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/5/1137
work_keys_str_mv AT lirongsun increasedlightintensitymitigatescosub2subandchsub4subemissionsfrompaddysoilbymediatingironredoxcyclingcoupledwithorganiccarbontransformation
AT mengxiaojiang increasedlightintensitymitigatescosub2subandchsub4subemissionsfrompaddysoilbymediatingironredoxcyclingcoupledwithorganiccarbontransformation
AT mengli increasedlightintensitymitigatescosub2subandchsub4subemissionsfrompaddysoilbymediatingironredoxcyclingcoupledwithorganiccarbontransformation
AT xugangwang increasedlightintensitymitigatescosub2subandchsub4subemissionsfrompaddysoilbymediatingironredoxcyclingcoupledwithorganiccarbontransformation
AT yafenghan increasedlightintensitymitigatescosub2subandchsub4subemissionsfrompaddysoilbymediatingironredoxcyclingcoupledwithorganiccarbontransformation
AT xiannichen increasedlightintensitymitigatescosub2subandchsub4subemissionsfrompaddysoilbymediatingironredoxcyclingcoupledwithorganiccarbontransformation