Due to their extensive rice cultivation, some regions may be contributing to global warming. To what possible reason/ reasons is this attributable?1. The anaerobic conditions associated with rice cultivation cause the emission of methane.2. When nitrogen based fertilizers are used, nitrous oxide is emitted from the cultivated soil.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✓ Correct answer: c) Both 1 and 2
ExplanationStatement 1 is correct : Paddy fields are typically flooded, creating anaerobic (oxygen-deprived) conditions.Soil saturation in wetland rice fields restricts oxygen transport, creat- ing anaerobic conditions due to submergence.This environment supports the activity of methanogenic bacteria, which produce methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas.Rice cultivation is a significant source of methane emissions globally.Statement 2 is correct : Nitrogen-based fertilizers, which en- hance crop yield, stimulate soil microbes to convert nitrogen into nitrous oxide (N2O), another potent greenhouse gas.Mi- crobial processes like nitrification and denitrification in the soil release nitrous oxide, especially in poorly drained, water- logged soils.Nitrous oxide has a global warming potential 265 times greater than CO2 over 100 years.207
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