Effect of Consolidation on Paddy-side Grassland Communities and Ecological Niche in Agro-ecosystem

Okubo, Kumiko; Maenaka, Hisayuki

doi:10.5632/jila.58.5_109

Cited by 16 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…In addition, invasive alien plants such as Solidago altissima often dominate dry fields and displace native plants (Okubo and Maenaka, 1995;Yamaguchi et al, 1998). Aquatic insects have also lost larval-stage habitats.…”

Section: Efficient Irrigation/drainage Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of post-war changes in rice farming and biodiversity in Japan

Katayama

Baba

Kusumoto

et al. 2015

Agricultural Systems

149

100

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A B S T R A C TFlooded rice fields can provide habitats for wetland species and ecosystem services similar to those of natural wetlands. During the last three decades, however, farming practices and management systems have been intensified in many rice-producing countries. In addition, more recent socioeconomic changes have caused agricultural abandonment in some parts of East and Southeast Asian countries such as Japan. This study reviewed long-term statistics on rice farming, as well as the impact of agricultural intensification and abandonment on farmland biodiversity at multiple spatial scales in Japan. The impact of pesticide use was greatest in the 1950s-1970s, when the use of highly toxic agents had not yet been prohibited. More recently, different components of agricultural intensification have been the largest threat for various taxa, for example, chemical pesticides for aquatic plants and invertebrates and modern efficient irrigation/ drainage systems for amphibians, fishes, and waterbirds. The negative impacts of agricultural abandonment on farmland species have been rapidly increasing with the expansion of abandoned fields and the subsequent vegetation succession and loss of habitat heterogeneity. We also discuss the effectiveness of environmentally friendly farming practices, including the reduced use of pesticides, winter paddy flooding, and installation of fishways, to reduce the negative impacts of agricultural intensification on farmland species in rice-paddy landscapes.

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Section: Efficient Irrigation/drainage Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of post-war changes in rice farming and biodiversity in Japan

Katayama

Baba

Kusumoto

et al. 2015

Agricultural Systems

149

100

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Traditional agricultural management practices have created and maintained specific ecosystems (Moonen and Marshall, 2001). The periodic felling of trees for firewood has resulted in a landscape comprised of secondary forest patches (Kamada et al, 1991;Kamada and Nakagoshi, 1997), while periodic grass-mowing for green manure has maintained grasslands and biodiversity (Naito and Nakagoshi, 1995;Okubo and Maenaka, 1995;Okubo, 2002). Heterogeneous habitat patches resulting from differences in management practice among farmers has kept biodiversity high (Smeding and Joenjeb, 1999;Iiyama et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Ecological and social evaluation of landscape in a rural area with terraced paddies in southwestern Japan

Iiyama¹,

Kamada

Nakagoshi

2005

Landscape and Urban Planning

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Since the 1960s, improving socio-economic conditions in rural Japan have led to the rise in man-made or man-shaped landscapes, which has in turn resulted in formerly abundant species becoming endangered. In order to conserve biodiversity in rural areas, former agricultural landscapes must be conserved. The problem is that ecologically appropriate landscapes are not always compatible with the needs of local residents or land owners. Prior to carrying out any particular conservation measures, regional landscape management must consider both ecological and social approaches and present acceptable approach-specific management goals in an open and transparent manner. This study, undertaken in the Ohaga district of southwestern Japan, a typical rural area with terraced paddy fields, sought to develop a framework for evaluating regional resources from a landscape ecology perspective. Monitoring the temporal change of landscape structures and vegetation revealed the presence of habitats, such as the pine forest and grasslands bordering the rice paddies, which harbour specific plant species or populations, some now endangered. From a social standpoint, questionnaires revealed that local inhabitants wanted landscape management options which would conserve the pine forest, paddy fields and levee grasslands. Local farmers thought that the landscape should be used and managed as a rural park, rather than for agricultural purposes. These desirable landscape element types can serve as targets for conservation, but ultimately a new system of agricultural management must be developed to sustain the rural landscape.

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“…Previous studies have indicated that paddy ridges play an important role as habitats for many grassland plants in the current situation in which the number of grassland plants is decreasing due to the decrease in the extent of grassland environments [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. This has been especially evident in recent years, as the traditional vegetation on paddy ridges has disappeared as a consequence of paddy field infrastructure development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%