Abstract:
This research aims to study the landscape ecology, and ecological services of rice fields in order to explore the benefits of rice field towards human well-being and to propose the sustainable rural development guidelines. The study was conducted by collecting the site data, Ban Ponngam, Tambon Ponngam, Amphoe Kosumpisai Mahasarakham Province, site observation including participate and non-participate observation, and also interview to compare and identify differences of ecological services between rain fed paddy field and irrigated paddy field. It was found that both types of rice field are different in term of processes and ecological services. The process of rain fed paddy field harmonize with the dynamics of dry and wet landscape ecology which preserve the diversity of ecological services toward human livings. On the other hand, the process of irrigated paddy field does not harmonize with the dynamics of landscape ecology resulting the decrease of ecological services diversity. The conclusion is the rain fed paddy field, which harmonize with the dynamics of landscape ecology, provides more benefits and diversity of ecological services towards human living comparing to the irrigated paddy field.