Josef Margraf and Paciencia P. Milan
ABSTRACT
The rice terraces in the mountains of Northern Luzon are an ecologically balanced agricultural system developed by the Ifugao cultural communities. It is closely connected to swiddens and forests, and intensively interrelated to the social life of the Ifugaos. Very soon, this ecosystem will be changed by modern agricultural technologies and social developments. Therefore, the status quo was investigated to maintain the knowledge of the complex interrelations within this system, which could provide positive impulses to similar agroecosystems in tropical mountain areas. Occurring changes and damages of the ecosystem and possible solutions for conflicting problems are discussed.
Keywords: Traditional land use, pedictable changes, subecosystems, rice terraces, Ifugao
Annals of Tropical Research 16(3):(1994)
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