Research perspectives on paddy field systems: ecological functions and environmental impacts

ABSTRACT

Paddy is an important artificial wetland ecosystem related to sustainable development of agriculture and environment. According to 12,276 paddy-related publications in SCIE database during 1997–2016, this study revealed the global paddy research trends. The paddy research experienced an exponential growth. This research had remarkable regional characteristic and was mainly distributed across Asia, Western and Central Europe and Northern America. The rice production and accompanied environmental issues were main driving factor to promote paddy research. A group of developing countries led by China and India played important role in global paddy research. China was the largest contributor with rapid development after 2009, followed by Japan, the USA and India. The focus of paddy research has extended from rice yield to food security and environmental issues. Paddy wetland ecosystem and biodiversity, greenhouse gas emission and climate change, heavy metal pollution and food security, nutrient loss and water quality were research hotspots; the increasing use of RS, GIS and models promoted the extension of paddy research from field- to regional and global scale; field management measures, such as water management and biochar, were applied to improve environment issues. Ecological function and environmental impacts will be the primary targets of future paddy research.

KEYWORDS:

• Paddy field
• wetland
• greenhouse gases emission
• food security
• non-point source pollution

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China under Grant number 2016YFD0800500 and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese of Academy Sciences under Grant numbers 2018370 and 2016304.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Yanhua Zhuang is an associate professor at the Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Non-Point Source Pollution Control, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on agricultural non-point source pollution and watershed environment evolution.

Hongbin Liu is a senior scientist at the Key laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China. He has over 20 years experince on the researches of agricultural sustainability, carbon-nitrogen cycle, and agricultural non-point source pollution.

Liang Zhang is a professor at the Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Non-Point Source Pollution Control, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on the monitoring, evaluation and control of watershed/agricultural non-point source pollution.

Sisi Li is an assistant professor at the Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Non-Point Source Pollution Control, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research interests include non-point source pollution monitoring, evaluation and control, using integrated methods of hydrology, biochemistry, geography as well as statistical and computing techniques.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China: [Grant Number 2016YFD0800500]; Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: [Grant Number 2016304]; Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: [Grant Number 2018370].