Impact of Land Use Conversion On Carbon Stocks And Selected Peat Physico-Chemical Properties In The Leyte Sab-A Basin Peatland, Philippines
Abstract Peatlands are unique wetland ecosystems that provide various ecosystem services such as carbon storage and biogeochemical cycling, however being threatened by anthropogenic activities. The present study was conducted to explore the impact of land use conversion on carbon stocks and peat properties in a tropical peatland in the Leyte Sab-a Basin Peatland (LSBP) in Northeastern Leyte, Philippines. The carbon stocks (aboveground and belowground) and physico-chemical properties of peat soil were compared among wetland forest, grassland and cropland. Land use conversion resulted in the significant reduction of the total aboveground carbon stock. The wetland forest had the highest carbon stocks (38.56 ± 4.58 t ha− 1), and when converted to grassland and cropland, it has resulted to carbon loss of as much as 86.59 and 90.45%, respectively. The belowground root carbon stock was highest in the wetland forest (5.05 ± 0.64 t ha− 1) also while highest peat carbon stock (1 m depth) was observed in the cropland areas (45.28 ± 2.25–61.27 ± 3.07 t ha− 1). However, wetland forests with very deep peat deposits potentially store a significant amount of carbon than in cropland that was characterized by shallower compressed peats. In addition, land use conversion altered the physico-chemical properties of peat such as water content, organic matter, and porosity, and bulk density which all indicated peatland degradation. Finally, the overall result of this study highlights the importance to develop and implement management and conservation plans for LSBP.