Abstract:The objective of this study was to determine the extent of the impact of algae on N immobilization and transfer in the paddy field ecosystem. The algal proliferation was observed, and its biomass and N immobilization were quantitatively determined in the various stages of rice growth with plot and 15N microplot experiments. Results indicated that the algae in paddy field had evident characteristics of community succession. Spherical algae dominated in the early stage of rice growth, and then filamentous algae were the main form in the midlater stage of rice growth. The algal proliferation could be divided into two phases: growth phase between rice seedling transplanting and shooting and decline phase between shooting and rice harvest, during the latter of which the variation in algal biomass fitted growth curve pattern. The dry weight of algal biomasses was within the range of 205-610 kg/ha and 12-353 kg/ha over the 2007 and 2009 rice seasons, respectively. N immobilizations by algae were between N 5.4 and 17.5 kg/ha and between N 0.4 and 11.0 kg/ha over two seasons, respectively. The results of 15N micro-plot experiment showed that 15N immobilization by algae ranged from N 0.3 to 6.0 kg/ha, accounting for 54%-68% of total N immobilizations with the average of 57%, which demonstrated that those were derived mostly from fertilizer N.