Secondary succession and natural habitat restoration in abandoned rice fields of central Korea

Published source details Lee C., You Y. & Robinson G.R. (2002) Secondary succession and natural habitat restoration in abandoned rice fields of central Korea. Restoration Ecology, 10, 306-314.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Abandon cropland: allow freshwater marshes or swamps to recover without active intervention Action Link

Abandon cropland: allow freshwater marshes or swamps to recover without active intervention

A site comparison study in 1993 involving five abandoned rice paddies in northern South Korea (Lee et al. 2002) reported that they were colonized by wetland plants, with increases over 10 years in woody plant dominance and plant species richness. Statistical significance was not assessed. The overall plant community composition differed between wetlands abandoned for different lengths of time (data reported as a graphical analysis and importance values). Paddies abandoned for ≤3 years were dominated by herbaceous wetland plant species. A paddy abandoned for seven years was co-dominated by common rush Juncus effusus and willow Salix coriyanagi. Paddies abandoned for 10 years were dominated by willow with some Japanese alder Alnus japonica. The Japanese alder had an average stem diameter of <1 cm, compared to 20–24 cm in nearby mature alder stands. Finally, total plant species richness increased with the length of time paddies had been abandoned (data reported as rank-abundance curves). Methods: In summer 1993, plant species and their cover were recorded in five rice paddies (23–26 quadrats/paddy, each 1–5 m²) abandoned for varying lengths of time (<1, 3, 7 or 10 years). The paddies had naturally wet soils and had been cultivated using traditional techniques. Japanese alder diameter was also surveyed in seven nearby, 40-year-old forests (one 400-m² plot/forest).

(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)