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Biodiversity Conservation in Rice Paddies in China: Toward Ecological Sustainability

Abstract: 
Rice paddies are artificial wetlands that supply people with food and provide wildlife with habitats, breeding areas, shelters, feeding grounds and other services, and rice paddies play an important part in agricultural ecological systems. However, modern agricultural practices with large-scale intensive farming have significantly accelerated the homogenization of the paddy field ecosystem. This study suggests that measures should be focused to firstly preventing further deterioration and then promoting restoration processes. Ecological sustainability can be achieved by restoring paddy field biodiversity through protecting the ecological environment surrounding the paddy fields, improving paddy cropping patterns, growing rice with less agricultural chemicals and chemical fertilizers, constructing paddy systems with animals and plants and promoting ecological education and public awareness.
Author: 
Yufeng Luo, Haolong Fu, Seydou Traore
Institution: 
Hohai University, Texas A&M University, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute
Year: 
2017
Domains-Issue Area: 
Region(s): 
Country: 
China
Datatype(s): 
Case Studies