Synergistic As and CH₄ reduction increase the sustainability of rice production

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food for more than half of the population worldwide. In addition to its role in food security, rice cultivation systems, particularly flooded paddy fields, are the largest anthropogenic wetlands on Earth, and receive critical concerns as the major sources of methane (CH₄) emissions and hotspots for arsenic (As) mobilization. Thermodynamically, both As mobilization and CH₄ production are driven by similar environmental factors in paddy soils. Growing evidence suggests that these processes share common origins, microbial drivers, and key influencing factors, including soil redox potential and dissolved orgamic matter availability. By regulating the shared facors, simultaneous mitigation of As mobilization and CH₄ emissions may be achievable in paddy soils. However, research in this area remains limited. The perspective proposed in this study could guide the development of integrated strategies to concurrently address As and CH₄ challenges in paddy ecosystems, and increase the sustainability of rice production.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

paddy soils / methane emission / arsenic mobilization / green and low carbon production

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