Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Uses of trees in paddy fields in Champasak Province, southern Lao PDR

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Landscape and Ecological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The species and uses of trees located in paddy fields were investigated in three villages in Champasak Province, Lao PDR. The villages were different in their distance from Pakse City, the capital of the province, and age since foundation. A total of 71 species were recorded, and most were used by local people. The most frequent use was for fruit, firewood, and medicine, though most trees also offered shade for cattle and people. Species composition differed among villages. The youngest paddy supported more trees, remnants of the original forest, for timber. Older paddies supported fewer trees for timber but more for fruit and firewood. The introduced species increased according to the age of the paddy. Products other than timber obtained from the trees were common among villages. The significance of trees in rice cultivation in Laos was compared with that in the Satoyama landscape of Japan.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  • Ankarfjard R, Kegl M (1998) Tapping oleoresin from Dipterocarpus alatus (Dipterocarpaceae) in a Lao village. Econ Bot 52:7–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukamachi K, Oku H, Nakashizuka T (2001) The change of a Satoyama landscape and its causality in Kamiseya, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan between 1970 and 1995. Landsc Ecol 16:703–717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukamachi K, Oku H, Miyake A (2005) The relationships between the structure of paddy levees and the plant species diversity in cultural landscapes on the west side of Lake Biwa, Shiga, Japan. Landsc Ecol Eng 1:191–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner S, Sidisunthorn P, Anusarnsunthorn V (2000) A field guide to forest trees on northern Thailand. Kobfai Publishing Project

  • Grandstaff SW, Grandstaff TB, Rathakette P, Thomas DE, Thomas JK (1986) Trees in paddy fields in Northeast Thailand. In: Marten GG (ed) Traditional agriculture in Southeast Asia. Westview Press, Boulder, pp 273–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Halwart M (2006) Biodiversity and nutrition in rice-based aquatic ecosystems. J Food Comp Anal 19:747–751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ichinose T, Asmiwyati IGAAR, Kataoka M, Arfin NHS (2007) Land-use change and irrigation systems in the agricultural landscape of terraced paddy fields in Awaji Island, central Japan. Landsc Ecol Eng 3:171–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamada M, Nakagoshi N (1996) Landscape structure and the disturbance regime at three rural regions in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Landsc Ecol 11:15–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kosaka Y, Takeda S, Prixar S, Sithirajvongsa S, Xaydala K (2006) Species composition, distribution and management of trees in rice paddy fields in central Lao, PDR. Agrofor Syst 67:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linquist BA, Keoboualapha B, Sipaseuth, Inthapanya P (2006) Rice production systems of Laos. In: Schiller JM, Chanphengxay MB, Linquist B, Appa Rao S (eds) Rice in Laos. IRRI, pp 29–46

  • Morimoto Y (2011) What is Satoyama? Points for discussion on its future direction. Landsc Ecol Eng 7:9–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakagoshi N, Ohta Y (1992) Factors affecting the dynamics vegetation in the landscapes Shimokamagari Island, southwestern Japan. Landsc Ecol 7:111–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Natuhara Y, Imai C, Takahashi M (1999) Pattern of land mosaics affecting butterfly assemblage at Mt Ikoma, Osaka, Japan. Ecol Res 14:105–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pendleton RL (1943) Land use in Northeastern Thailand. Geogr Rev 33:15–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prachaiyo B (2000) Farmers and forests: a changing phase in northeast Thailand. Southeast Asian Stud 38:271–446

    Google Scholar 

  • Sae-Lee S, Vityakon P, Prachaiyo B (1992) Effects of trees on paddy bund on soil fertility and rice growth in Northeast Thailand. Agrofor Syst 18:213–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tabata H (1997) Satoyama and its conservation. Hoikusha, Tokyo (in Japanese)

  • Torquebiau EF (2000) A renewed perspective on agroforestry concepts and classification. CR Acad Sci Paris, Sciences de la vie/Life Sciences 323:1009–1017

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Viswanath S, Nair PKR, Kaushik PK, Prakasam U (2000) Acacia nilotica trees in rice fields: a traditional agroforestry system in central India. Agrofor Syst 50:157–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yokohari M, Bolthouse (2011) Keep it alive, don’t freeze it: a conceptual perspective on the conservation of continuously evolving Satoyama landscapes. Landsc Ecol Eng. doi:10.1007/s11355-010-0116-1

Download references

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Dr. Sikhamtath Mitaray, Dr. Bounmy Phonesavanh, and Dr. Shintaro Kobayashi for their management of the exchange program between Champasack University and Kyoto University. We also acknowledge Dr. J.F. Maxwell who identified several specimens collected in this study, Mr. Bounsuan Phomvongsa, Mr. Keobuason Razkhanty, Dr. Yasuo Mukai, Dr. Ueru Tanaka, Dr. Kei Mizuno, Dr. Izuru Saizen, and Dr. Yukihiro Morimoto for their advice and cooperation. This study was supported by the Global Environment Research Fund (F-094) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan and Grants in Aid for Scientific Research (20241009) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

    Y. Natuhara

  2. Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    A. Imanishi

  3. Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    M. Kanzaki

  4. Faculty of Agriculture, Champasack University, Pakse, Champasak Province, Lao PDR

    S. Southavong & I. Duangvongsa

Authors
  1. Y. Natuhara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Imanishi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Kanzaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Southavong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. Duangvongsa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Natuhara.

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 3 and 4.

Table 3 List of trees recorded at three villages
Full size table
Table 4 Species recorded in scrub next to paddy field of Lak 30 village
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Natuhara, Y., Imanishi, A., Kanzaki, M. et al. Uses of trees in paddy fields in Champasak Province, southern Lao PDR. Landscape Ecol Eng 8, 115–122 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-011-0172-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-011-0172-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation