Eroding Traditional Knowledge Systems Plea Scientific Validation: Ecological Characterization of Traditionally Managed Semi-Deep Water Rice Field Agroecosystem in Barak Valley, Assam, Northeast India

Abstract

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) systems illustrate various ways and means of natural resource utilization and management, which has come into being through keen observations as well as the age-old trial and error methods. However, such knowledge systems are gradually eroding due to various reasons. Proper documentation, characterization, scientific validation, and popularization of such knowledge systems would help in preserving them for posterity. The present study characterizes the ecological attributes of a traditional rice farming system called Asra in Karimganj district of Barak Valley, Assam. The objective was to investigate the water properties and community composition of plankton and rice stem epiphyton of the water logged Asra rice field agro-ecosystem. The substantial contribution of Asra rice field ecosystems in maintaining the overall biodiversity of the system has been highlighted in the present study. The study revealed the presence of 77 genera of phytoplankton and 55 genera of rice stem phyto-epiphyton, which belonged to six major classes viz., Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Xanthophyceae and Zygnemophyceae. Besides, 29 genera of zooplankton and 14 genera of rice stem zoo-epiphyton belonging to five major groups viz., Protozoa, Cladocera, Copepoda, Ostracoda and Rotifera were also recorded. The study shows that the Asra rice fields are rich repository of plankton and rice stem epiphyton, the natural live food resources for fish. The study emphasizes on conservation of traditional farming system like Asra, and stresses on the need for sustainable utilization of the existing bioresources in such system by introducing the concurrent practice of rice-fish culture in the study area.