Amendment with industrial and agricultural wastes reduces surface-water nutrient loss and storage of dissolved greenhouse gases in a subtropical paddy field

Paddy fields are important ecosystems for supporting human life. They are frequently fertilized more than necessary for providing high yields of rice (Oryza sativa), so nutrients are lost by leaching into aquatic ecosystems, which become eutrophic. Rice production is also an important source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Mitigation of the nutrient losses and GHG emissions from paddy fields is crucial both for the sustainability of rice production and the reduction of adverse environmental effects. We examined the effects of the application of biochar, steel slag, shell slag, gypsum slag and silicate and calcium slag (produced from steel slag) on water nutrient concentrations and dissolved GHGs in a paddy field in subtropical southeastern China, one of the most important areas of rice production in the world. The concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen (TN) and total dissolved phosphorus (TP) in the surface water were lower in plots amended with shell slag than the control plots. Mean porewater TN and TP concentrations, however, were higher, and the mean porewater dissolved CO2 concentration was 68% lower in the plots amended with silicate and calcium slag than the control plots. Mean dissolved CH4 concentrations were 92 and 70% lower in the plots amended with gypsum slag and silicate and calcium slag, respectively. Mean dissolved N2O concentrations did not differ significantly among all plots. The concentrations of dissolved CO2 and CH4 were correlated with their production and emission. The concentration of dissolved CO2 was negatively correlated with porewater concentrations of NH4+, NO2−, NO3−, TN, TP and Cl−. The concentration of dissolved CH4 was negatively correlated with porewater concentrations of NH4+, TN, TP, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), SO42− and Cl−. The concentration of dissolved N2O was correlated positively with the concentrations of NO2−, NO3−, DOC and SO42− and negatively with the porewater concentration of NH4+. These results support the use of these fertilizers alone or in combination for the mitigation of water nutrient losses and GHG production in rice agriculture and will provide a scientific basis for continuing the search for an easy, economical and optimum management of fertilization.