Study on energy and CO2 flux in a monsoon temperate rice paddy and soybean field in Korea

Unlike natural ecosystems, agricultural ecosystems are unique ecosystems in which artificial factors play a significant role. The material cycling within an agricultural ecosystem is influenced by factors such as agricultural activities, weather, and soil conditions. Understanding the material cycling and energy flow in these ecosystems is important to cope with climate change. In this study, we measured energy and carbon dioxide flux using the eddy covariance method to assess material cycling in rice paddy and soybean field ecosystems with similar weather conditions but different vegetation. Additionally, growth surveys were conducted every two weeks to analyze crop development. During the summer, the weather and soil conditions in rice paddy and soybean field were comparable, resulting in similar levels of latent heat flux for both ecosystems. In July 2020, despite the rainy season, the water use efficiency(WUE) of rice paddy was higher than that of other periods, influenced by vegetation and weather conditions. WUE during the summer resembled that of the cropping period, indicating a potential impact on overall crop grain weight.