A comparative appraisal of the ecological importance of rice fields for avifaunal species in different regions in the world

Abstract

Much has been written both in global and local level on paddy culture, rice production and associated problems, the impact of land use changes, biodiversity in rice fields. However, an area that has received little attention in the Sri Lankan context is the value of rice fields for avifaunal species. There are plenty of studies carried out in rice fields located in temperate, arid and Mediterranean climatic zones while only South America, eastern Asia and India are identified among the tropical countries. Being the ‘Granary of the east’ and one of the biodiversity hotspots, considerable studies carried out to emphasize the importance of rice fields for avifauna are fewer in Sri Lanka. Thus, this is a comparative appraisal to identify the variations of the utilization of rice fields by avifaunal species in the world, prior to applying the study for the Sri Lankan context.