Effects of a mixed culture of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., and Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), on terrestrial arthropod population, benthic fauna, and weed biomass in rice fields in Bangladesh

Frei, Michael; Khan, Mohammed Abul Monjur; Razzak, Muhammad Abdur; Hossain, Mahabub; Dewan, S.; Becker, Klaus

doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2007.02.001

Cited by 37 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The method described by Frei et al was used to quantify rice planthoppers (36). For the rice stem borer, 100 hills of rice in each plot were sampled by the parallel line sampling method and then dissected and examined for borers.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological mechanisms underlying the sustainability of the agricultural heritage rice–fish coculture system

Xie

Tang

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

330

218

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For centuries, traditional agricultural systems have contributed to food and livelihood security throughout the world. Recognizing the ecological legacy in the traditional agricultural systems may help us develop novel sustainable agriculture. We examine how rice-fish coculture (RF), which has been designated a "globally important agricultural heritage system," has been maintained for over 1,200 y in south China. A field survey demonstrated that although rice yield and rice-yield stability are similar in RF and rice monoculture (RM), RF requires 68% less pesticide and 24% less chemical fertilizer than RM. A field experiment confirmed this result. We documented that a mutually beneficial relationship between rice and fish develops in RF: Fish reduce rice pests and rice favors fish by moderating the water environment. This positive relationship between rice and fish reduces the need for pesticides in RF. Our results also indicate a complementary use of nitrogen (N) between rice and fish in RF, resulting in low N fertilizer application and low N release into the environment. These findings provide unique insights into how positive interactions and complementary use of resource between species generate emergent ecosystem properties and how modern agricultural systems might be improved by exploiting synergies between species. G lobal food security is becoming an acute problem because of the increasing world population (1), the limitation of agricultural resources (e.g., land and water) (2), and the effects of global climate change on crop production (3, 4). World agriculture currently faces great challenges in producing sufficient food while minimizing the negative environmental effects of crop cultivation.In the past 50 y, crop yields have substantially increased, mainly resulting from the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the development of new crop varieties, and the improvement in cultivation methods. The heavy application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for long periods, however, negatively affects the environment, induces pest resistance to pesticides, and increases agricultural costs (5, 6). As a consequence, modern agriculture now requires "rethinking" (1, 7), and such rethinking should include reconsideration of traditional agricultural systems (8-10).For many centuries, traditional agricultural systems have contributed to food and livelihood security throughout the world (8). Because traditional agricultural systems have been created, shaped, and maintained by generations of farmers who used management practices that were matched to local conditions, and because these systems are based on diverse species and species interactions, traditional agricultural systems reflect a successful adaptation to different environments and are rich in biological diversity (8,11,12). The recognition of the ecological legacy of these traditional agricultural systems and the integration of these unique experiences into our future farm designs could help us to develop more sustainable agriculture. In fact, stud...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological mechanisms underlying the sustainability of the agricultural heritage rice–fish coculture system

Xie

Tang

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

330

218

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Overgrowth of weeds, which may reduce nutrient status in the paddy fields, negatively affects growth of rice plants, and omnivorous or herbivorous fish in the paddy field decrease the weeds [9,18,23,52]. In the present study, most of the surface of the rice-only plots was covered by duckweed, whereas there was little duckweed in the rice-fish plots (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…However, it is rare that rice yield in rice-fish culture has been rigorously compared with that in rice monoculture, such as by incorporating statistical tests and equal experimental conditions (see [3,7,9]). Moreover, in all of these studies, the hypothesis was not supported by statistically significant results [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. Furthermore, the ecological processes leading to higher rice yield in rice-fish culture were not demonstrated (but see [25]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Effect of fish in rice-fish culture on the rice yield

et al. 2010

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Rice-fish culture, which means the simultaneous culture of rice and fish, is one of the best options to increase food production from limited land and is practiced in many countries in the world. Although many researchers and farmers believe that the rice yield is increased by fish farming in paddy fields, this hypothesis has never been fully tested. Here, we report ecological processes leading to higher rice yields in the rice-fish culture using crucian carp (Carassius complex), which have adapted to the paddy field ecosystem in Japan. We compare the rice-fish and rice-only plots in the experimental paddy field for biota, water quality, and rice yield. Coverage of duckweed and densities of zooplankton and benthic invertebrates in the rice-fish plots were lower than those in the rice-only plots, indicating that fish utilized them as food. NO 3 -N concentration in the rice-fish plots was higher than that in the rice-only plots, indicating that the increase in NO 3 -N concentration results from excretion of unutilized food nutrients by the fish. Consequently, rice yield in the ricefish plots was 20% higher than that in the rice-only plots. The fertilizing effect of the fish excrement probably increased rice yield.

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“…Compared to intensive rice monoculture, rice-fish coculture can reduce diseases, insect pests, and weeds (Vromant et al, 2002;Vromant et al, 2003;Li and Huang, 2005;Frei et al, 2007). The fish in this coculture system can also improve N uptake by rice plants (Panda et al, 1987;Oehme et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Chemical fertilizer reduction and soil fertility maintenance in rice-fish coculture system

Xie

Tang

et al. 2010

Front. Agric. China

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In the long run, whether the use of chemical fertilizers could be reduced and soil fertility could be maintained through rice-fish coculture is less well known. At the pilot site of the rice-fish coculture system, which is one of the five "globally important agricultural heritage systems" (GIAHS), we conducted a 4-year study to compare fertilizer use, rice yield, and soil fertility in rice-fish coculture and rice monoculture. Based on the survey data from 21 villages, rice yield did not differ between rice monoculture and rice-fish coculture, but less chemical fertilizers were used in rice-fish coculture than in rice monoculture. Survey data from 145 farms also showed that rice-fish coculture farms with high input of feed for fish used less chemical fertilizers for rice production than farms with low input of feed for fish. In the 4-year field experiment, although less fertilizer was used in rice-fish coculture, rice yield, soil organic matter, soil total nitrogen, and soluble phosphorus did not differ between rice-fish coculture and rice monoculture. Our results suggest that rice-fish coculture can reduce chemical fertilizers application, enhance land productivity, and maintain soil fertility. Our results also suggest that rice-fish coculture could reduce the risk of non-point source pollution by reducing the input of chemical fertilizers.

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Effects of a mixed culture of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., and Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), on terrestrial arthropod population, benthic fauna, and weed biomass in rice fields in Bangladesh

Cited by 37 publications

References 21 publications

Ecological mechanisms underlying the sustainability of the agricultural heritage rice–fish coculture system

Ecological mechanisms underlying the sustainability of the agricultural heritage rice–fish coculture system

Effect of fish in rice-fish culture on the rice yield

Chemical fertilizer reduction and soil fertility maintenance in rice-fish coculture system

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