Biodiversity is closely related to the conservation of ecosystems. Ecosystems provide more subtle, but equally essential, services. Microorganisms decompose human's waste and renew the soils that produce our food crops. Biodiversity in Korean paddies encompass 54 families and 107 species of freshwater invertebrates. In terms of the number of aquatic insects affected by different sources, the order starting with the highest population was swine slurry > chemical fertilizer > fresh straw with reduced fertilizers > control. The number of freshwater invertebrate and aquatic macro-invertebrate in surface water of the plots without insecticidal application were 2 and 2.1 times greater than in fields receiving insecticide applications, respectively. The soil microfungal flora of the 85 isolates paddy fields in Korea was 30 species in 13 genera and 11 isolates were unidentified yet. Agricultural policy should be changed to assist the conservation of biodiversity because until now the agricultural ecosystems have been negatively affected from the development of high-yield varieties to enhance food production, and the expansion of fertilizer and chemical use. For the conservation of agricultural ecosystems, agricultural practices with less investment and more resource saving, as well as enhancing the safety of agricultural and livestock products are essential. Finally, this paper was written for the contribution for the development of environmentally friendly farming systems with neighboring or whole ecosystems.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced in 2001 that the overall amount of paddy land set aside for rice will be cut down by 12% by 2005, decreasing from 1.08 million to 953,000 hectares. When evaluating the value of paddy rice systems, the multi-function of paddy systems in the monsoon climate is vital importance. The main functions of paddy rice systems are to conserve biodiversity and maintain sustainability. Some crucial environmental benefits of the paddy rice systems include: flood prevention, recharge of water resources, water purification, soil erosion and landslide prevention, soil purification, landscape preservation and air purification. The paddy rice systems in Korea, which are more diverse than upland crop systems, are known to be composed of 14 orders, 36 families and 134 species. The sustain ability of paddy rice production systems can never be overestimated. Rice is part of the culture and even the heart of spiritual life in the area under the monsoon climate. Therefore paddy rice systems should be preserved with the highest priority being the enhancement of the systems' multi-function. As an outlook to future research, the need of joint and interdisciplinary research projects between economists and natural scientists at inland as well as international levels were emphasized in establishing the development of counter-measure logic through actual proofed analysis. paddy rice systems, the m

This experiment was designed to assess changes in yield difference between waxy (IWR) and non-waxy (INWR) near isogenic rice by evaluating the translocation and accumulation of assimilates in different parts of the rice plants after heading stage under different fertilizer application. Nitrogen content of culm in both IWR and INWR decreased rapidly from 35 days before heading to flowering time and after then it was maintained constantly, while the nitrogen content of leaf blade was continually reduced. Sugar content of leaf blade in IWR decreased steadly by 10 days after heading, but that in INWR increased 20 days after heading. There was no difference in starch content of culum between IWR and INWR from 35days before heading to heading, but that of culm of IWR increased again after heading. Dry weight of IWR plant was less reduced during ripening as compared with INWR. The dry weight of culm was not significantly different between two isogenic lines.

Mineralization of organic N is an important factor in determining the appropriate rate of organic matter application to paddy fields. A kinetic analysis was conducted for nitrogen mineralization of rice, barley, Chinese milk Ovetch (Astragalus sinicus L.; MV) and narrow leaf vetch straw in paddy soil. Nitrogen immobilization occurred rapidly and its rate increased in straw with high C/N ratio. The amount of nitrogen mineralization was rapid in the first year of rice-vetch cropping system. The rate constant (K) depended on the C/N ratio of organic matter. Mineralization of straw increased at high temperature. The amount of available N increment resulted in fast mineralization of straw, especially in rice and barley straw. Chinese milk vetch had the greatest mineralization rate at all temperatures and fertilization levels followed by narrow-leaf vetch. However, rice and barley straws with high C/N ratio immobilized the soil N at the initial incubation duration. Chinese milk vetch or narrow leaf vetch was not effectively mineralized in mixed treatments with rice or barley straw. The mineralization rate of organic matter was mostly affected by the C/N ratio of straw and temperature of incubation. Organic matter with low C/N ratio should be recommended to avoid the immobilization of soil N and the increasing mineralization rate of straw

No-till direct seeding cultivation of rice has major advantages such as saving of labor and cost by eliminating tillage, preparation of seed bed and trans-planting procedure compared to the conventional transplanting cultivation. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of straw treatment and nitrogen levels on the rice growth in no-till direct-seeding cultivation. Rice straw, vetch straw, and the mixture of both of the straws were mulched on the surface of soil before seeding while 4 levels of nitrogen fertilizer, 0, 7, 9, and 11 kkg/10a respectively, were applied at 3 split times, 3-weeks after sowing, 5-weeks after sowing and the panicle initiation stage. Mulching of vetch straw significantly reduced seedling establishment of rice which may be attributed to low oxidation-reduction potential of soil by vetch mulching treatment. Vetch straw increased the concentration of soil ammonium leading to an extension of the greenish leaf to panicle initiation stage. Agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (AD EN ) in heavy-mixed straw mulching plots was lower than other treatments. Grain yield and AU EN in the vetch treatment were less affected by fertilized N levels. Conclusively, it is suggested that heavy straw mulching was not efficient for rice seedling establishment and nitrogen usage.e.