Cropping patterns that increses crop yield and land use efficiency through intercropping are becoming increasingly popular worldwide, especially in developing countries. Despite many advantages related to nutrient, light, temperature, water, and land use efficiencies, intercropping of rice subspecies such as Indica and Japonica has not been exploited yet. Hence, a two-year field experiment was conducted to study the effects of Indica-Japonica (i.e., XLY900-YY9 and YLY900-YY9) intercropping on the rice yield depending on sowing dates, and the intercropping effects were evaluated by yield, land equivalent ratio (LER), interspecific competitiveness (A), and relative crowding index (K). The Indica-Japonica intercropping had cumulative yields of 12 t ha –1 (20-23 %) higher than the yield of Indica or Japonica under mono-cropping, which was mainly due to the increase in photosynthetic rate that come through the efficient utilization of light. The LER and relative crowding index (K) of Indica-Japonica under intercropping systems were > 1, suggesting intercropping was more advantageous and efficiently utilized the land. The interspecific relative competitiveness (A) of Indica and Japonica was greater than 0, indicating reduced competition between the companion crops for availiable light and space resources. Hence, Indica-Japonica intercropping has high potential to maximize rice yield while utilizing the natural resources more efficiently, and could contribute to food security, particularly in regions where rice is a staple crop.

Rainwater is a vital resource and dynamic driver of terrestrial ecosystems. Yet, processes controlling precipitation inputs and interactions during storms are often poorly seen, and poorly sensed when direct observations are substituted with technological ones. We discuss how human observations complement technological ones, and the benefits of scientists spending more time in the storm. Human observation can reveal ephemeral storm-related phenomena such as biogeochemical ‘hot moments’, organismal responses, and sedimentary processes which can then be explored in greater resolution using sensors and virtual experimentation. Storm-related phenomena trigger lasting, oversized impacts on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes, organismal traits/functions, and ecosystem services. We provide examples of phenomena in forests, across disciplines and scales, to inspire mindful, holistic observation of ecosystems during storms. We conclude that technological observations alone are insufficient to trace the process complexity and unpredictability of fleeting biogeochemical or ecological events without the “shower thoughts” produced by scientists’ human sensory and cognitive systems during storms.

Plant roots interact with rhizosphere microbes to accelerate soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization and promote nutrient acquisition. Root-mediated changes in SOM turnover largely depend on root-C input and soil nutrient availability. Hence, interspecific competition and nutrient uptake dynamics over plant development stages as well as spatiotemporal variability in C input may modify SOM turnover. To investigate the effect of intraspecific competition on SOM mineralization at three growth stages (heading, flowering and ripening), we grew maize (C4 plant) under three planting densities on a C3 soil. 13C-natural abundance and 15N-pool dilution were applied in situ to determine C- and N-mineralization rates. Soil C- and N-mineralization rates were tightly coupled and peaked at maize flowering. However, the C-to-N-mineralization ratio increased with N, indicating that microbes mineralize N-rich components to mine SOM for N. Furthermore, intraspecific competition did not affect root biomass; instead, plants shaped root morphology towards higher specific root length as an efficient strategy competing for nutrient. Hence, root morphologic traits rather than root biomass per se were positively related to C- and N-mineralization. Overall, plant competition for nutrients controlled the intensity and mechanisms of soil C- and N-turnover by the adaptation of root traits and nutrient depletion.