%A %T The Significance of Paddy Ecosystems in Environmental Health and Sustainable Development of Economy in the Regions Around Tai Lake %0 Journal Article %D 2007 %J Science & Technology Review %R %P 24-29 %V 25 %N 0717 %U {http://www.kjdb.org/CN/abstract/article_385.shtml} %8 2007-09-10 %X Rice cropping around Tai Lake faces again with various oppugns and criticisms from the government and the academic circles worldwide. As the largest managed wetland system in the world, in fact, the paddy ecosystem has highly integrated service functions. With a summary of related researches and the field surveys of rice production, this paper discusses the integrated functions of the paddy ecosystem in Jiangsu around Tai Lake based on the author's long-term research on paddy ecosystems. It is shown that, under appropriate management regimes of rice-cropping, the paddy ecosystem not only helps climate regulation, atmospheric quality improvement and water and soil conservation, but also provides tremendous direct and indirect economic benefits through rice production around Taihu Lake area. Sustainable rice production can make a great contribution to city-rural harmonization and social harmonious development. People's bias on rice cropping around Tai Lake should be corrected. Based on a scientific planning of paddy field layout, with new techniques for conservational rice cropping and incentive policies of household production, the functions of paddy ecosystem may be enhanced to guarantee food security, environmental health and economic sustainable growth.