Chapter 620: The Little World in the Rice Field

Fang Ye said, "Of course, an ecosystem contains many different food chains!

Besides frogs, common beneficial animals include various spiders. Some spiders build webs in the rice fields to catch flying insects like rice planthoppers and stem borers. Other spiders don't build webs; they hunt like rogues on the rice stalks, moving swiftly and catching insects before they can escape!

There are also dragonflies, which are carnivorous insects that can hunt while flying. They not only catch pests like stem borers but are also excellent at controlling mosquitoes in the rice fields!

They eat both flying mosquitoes and their larvae, 'wigglers,' in the water. Rice fields are an ideal habitat for dragonflies.

Currently, our rice field doesn't have dragonflies yet, but since we have frogs, dragonflies shouldn't be far behind. They might appear in the next planting cycle!"

The children exclaimed in awe, "Oh~"

"I sometimes see dragonflies near the greenery downstairs!"

"I saw a spider running away while we were harvesting rice!"

Tang Xiaoxin complained, "I wish there were more dragonflies. I hate mosquitoes!"

For some reason, she was particularly attractive to mosquitoes!

Among her family, she was always the one getting bitten, and the bites would swell into large bumps that took days to go away.

One summer, she got bitten on the lip, which swelled up like a sausage. She had plans to hang out with friends but had to cancel because of her appearance. She ended up staying home for a week, feeling miserable.

Fang Ye continued, "The underwater world of the rice field also has many creatures!

For example, fish like bitterlings and loaches feed on small insects and plant and animal debris that fall into the water.

They not only have to avoid being eaten by birds like herons but also have to watch out for predatory aquatic insects.

One such insect is the water beetle, also known as the giant water bug, a skilled hunter in the water with incredible swimming speed!

With so many plants and animals, all eating, drinking, excreting, living, and dying, they produce waste like feces, fallen leaves, and animal remains. The rice field's ecosystem can handle this 'trash' itself.

For instance, freshwater snails. Most people think of them as a tasty seafood dish, slurping the soup and picking out the flavorful meat with a toothpick."

The chubby boy who had been clamoring for crispy rice couldn't help but swallow, making the parents laugh!

They reminisced about their childhood days of catching water beetles, loaches, and snails in the fields.

"Freshwater snails, though hidden in the muddy water and seemingly insignificant, are actually the cleaners of the field, diligently handling waste!

Their diet includes microscopic algae in the rice field, fallen leaves, and animal remains, preventing them from rotting and stinking in the water, which would affect the water quality.

In this process, other animals like water beetles also play a role, breaking down the 'trash' into smaller pieces.

Finally, microorganisms like bacteria and fungi, invisible to the naked eye, complete the cleanup by converting organic matter into inorganic minerals, which become nutrients for plant growth, re-entering the cycle."

Rice, algae, duckweed!

Mosquitoes, planthoppers, stem borers, spiders, dragonflies!

Locusts, frogs, mice, snakes, herons!

Loaches, water beetles, freshwater snails, microorganisms!

As the children listened to Fang Ye, they began to visualize a three-dimensional picture in their minds.

They realized that the rice field, besides the rice, was home to a rich variety of life, forming a colorful little world.

If Fang Ye had explained this when they first planted the rice, it wouldn't have made much sense.

But after planting the rice themselves, witnessing its growth, and seeing the various creatures in the field, they now had a deeper understanding thanks to Fang Ye's explanation.

Fang Ye said, "These food chains interweave to form a complex food web.

The more complex the food web, the stronger its ability to resist external disturbances. A simpler food web is more prone to fluctuations and collapse.

In modern agriculture, with the heavy use of pesticides and fertilizers, animals like spiders, frogs, and snakes can no longer survive, leading to an increase in pests, which then requires more pesticides. Mice eating crops necessitate rodenticides and traps.

Microorganisms can't survive, so the soil's fertility decreases, requiring more fertilizers, which eventually lead to soil compaction, creating a vicious cycle.

Our rice is grown with organic fertilizer made from fermented animal manure, without pesticides, and it can still thrive.

Of course, compared to fields with chemical fertilizers and pesticides, our yield will be lower, and it takes patience to restore the soil's health. With the current population and food pressures, this may not become the mainstream production method.

However, such a rice field acts like a small wetland, providing habitat for many animals like frogs and birds, increasing biodiversity, and positively impacting the surrounding environment."

A parent exclaimed, "Principal, the rice doesn't seem to have a low yield at all! The grains look very full!"

Fang Ye smiled slightly. That was no surprise!

Besides organic fertilizer, they had also mixed some special soil into the field during plowing, ensuring the rice grew well.

Tang Xiaoxin, being clever, gave an example, "Using chemical fertilizers is like focusing solely on exam scores, memorizing formulas, doing lots of exercises, and memorizing answers and essay templates!

But learning is not just for exams; it's about developing logical thinking, life philosophies, and literary skills that benefit us for life. However, parents and teachers often only care about exam scores."

Qian Keke quickly nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes! Grades aren't the most important thing. I'm lively and healthy."

Qian's mom shook her head, "You still have the nerve to say that. For you, having fun is the most important thing, right?"

Qian Keke retorted, "My biology grades are excellent!"

Her biology scores, which used to hover around the passing mark, were now consistently near perfect, surprising even herself.

For students, interest in a subject significantly impacts their performance.

These children, with their hands-on learning experience in the rice field, would likely excel in biology in the future.

Fang Ye laughed, "That's about right. Alright, everyone, have you rested enough? Let's get back to work!"

The children scattered, energetically resuming their rice harvesting. About half of the field still needed to be harvested.

After harvesting comes threshing!

Fang Ye called over the farm staff to bag the grains from the guandou and take them for drying.

Since they had promised fresh rice today, they couldn't sun-dry it in such a short time. Even in hot, dry weather, it would take three to four days.

They would process a small amount with machines for immediate use, while the rest would be sun-dried slowly after the visitors left.