scholarly journals Spatio-Temporal Variability of Peat CH4 and N2O Fluxes and Their Contribution to Peat GHG Budgets in Indonesian Forests and Oil Palm Plantations

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Swails ◽  
Kristell Hergoualc’h ◽  
Louis Verchot ◽  
Nisa Novita ◽  
Deborah Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Water Table Level ◽  
Peat Swamp ◽  
Tropical Peatlands ◽  
Primary Forests

Land-use change in tropical peatlands substantially impacts peat emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) in addition to emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). However, assessments of full peat greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets are scarce and CH4 and N2O contributions remain highly uncertain. The objective of our research was to assess changes in peat GHG flux and budget associated with peat swamp forest disturbance and conversion to oil palm plantation and to evaluate drivers of variation in trace gas fluxes. Over a period of one and a half year, we monitored monthly CH4 and N2O fluxes together with environmental variables in three undrained peat swamp forests and three oil palm plantations on peat in Central Kalimantan. The forests included two primary forests and one 30-year-old secondary forest. We calculated the peat GHG budget in both ecosystems using soil respiration and litterfall rates measured concurrently with CH4 and N2O fluxes, site-specific soil respiration partitioning ratios, and literature-based values of root inputs and dissolved organic carbon export. Peat CH4 fluxes (kg CH4 ha−1 year−1) were insignificant in oil palm (0.3 ± 0.4) while emissions in forest were high (14.0 ± 2.8), and larger in wet than in dry months. N2O emissions (kg N2O ha−1 year−1) were highly variable spatially and temporally and similar across land-uses (5.0 ± 3.9 and 5.2 ± 3.7 in oil palm and forest). Temporal variation of CH4 was controlled by water table level and soil water-filled pore space in forest and oil palm, respectively. Monthly fluctuations of N2O were linked to water table level in forest. The peat GHG budget (Mg CO2 equivalent ha−1 year−1) in oil palm (31.7 ± 8.6) was nearly eight times the budget in forest (4.0 ± 4.8) owing mainly to decreased peat C inputs and increased peat C outputs. The GHG budget was also ten times higher in the secondary forest (10.2 ± 4.5) than in the primary forests (0.9 ± 3.9) on the account of a larger peat C budget and N2O emission rate. In oil palm 96% of emissions were released as CO2 whereas in forest CH4 and N2O together contributed 65% to the budget. Our study highlights the disastrous atmospheric impact associated with forest degradation and conversion to oil palm in tropical peatlands and stresses the need to investigate GHG fluxes in disturbed undrained lands.

Contributions of methane and nitrous oxide to peat greenhouse gas emissions from forests and oil palm plantations in an Indonesian peatland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Swails ◽  
Kristell Hergoualc'h ◽  
Louis Verchot ◽  
Deborah Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Water Table Level ◽  
Peat Swamp ◽  
Tropical Peatlands ◽  
Primary Forests

<p>Land-use change in tropical peatlands substantially impacts emissions of methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) in addition to emissions of carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>). However, assessments of peat GHG budgets are scarce and the contributions of CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O remain highly uncertain. The objective of our research was to assess changes in peat GHG flux and budget associated with peat swamp forest disturbance and conversion to oil palm plantation and to evaluate drivers of variation in trace gas fluxes. Over a period of one and a half year, we monitored monthly CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes together with environmental variables in three undrained peat swamp forests and three oil palm plantations on peat in Central Kalimantan. The forests included two primary forests and one 30-year-old secondary forest. We calculated the peat GHG budget in both ecosystems using soil respiration and litterfall rates measured concurrently with CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes, site-specific soil respiration partitioning ratios, and literature-based values of root inputs and dissolved organic carbon export. Peat CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes (kg CH<sub>4</sub> ha<sup>-1</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup>) were insignificant in oil palm (0.3 ± 0.4) while emissions in forest were high (14.0 ± 2.8), and larger in wet than in dry months. N<sub>2</sub>O emissions (kg N<sub>2</sub>O ha<sup>-1</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup>) were highly variable spatially and temporally and similar across land-uses (5.0 ± 3.9 and 5.2 ± 3.7 in oil palm and forest). Temporal variation of CH<sub>4</sub> was controlled by water table level and soil water-filled pore space in forest and oil palm, respectively. Monthly fluctuations of N<sub>2</sub>O were linked to water table level in forest. The peat GHG budget (Mg CO<sub>2</sub> equivalent ha<sup>-1</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup>) in oil palm (31.7 ± 8.6) was nearly eight times the budget in forest (4.0 ± 4.8) owing mainly to decreased peat C inputs and increased peat C outputs. The GHG budget was also ten times higher in the secondary forest (10.2 ± 4.5) than in the primary forests (0.9 ± 3.9) on the account of a larger peat C budget and N<sub>2</sub>O emission rate. In oil palm 96% of emissions were released as CO<sub>2</sub> whereas in forest CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O together contributed 65% to the budget. Our study highlights the disastrous atmospheric impact associated with forest degradation and conversion to oil palm in tropical peatlands and stresses the need to investigate GHG fluxes in disturbed undrained lands.</p>

scholarly journals Total and heterotrophic soil respiration in a swamp forest and oil palm plantations on peat in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

2017 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristell Hergoualc’h ◽  
Dede T. Hendry ◽  
Daniel Murdiyarso ◽  
Louis Vincent Verchot
Keyword(s):  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Central Kalimantan ◽  
Heterotrophic Soil Respiration

Controlling CO2 and CH4 Emission in a Degraded Peat Swamp Forest Related to Water Table and Peat Characteristics

2013 ◽  
Vol 391 ◽  
pp. 202-206
Author(s):  
Leila Kalsum ◽  
null Ngudiantoro ◽  
M. Faizal ◽  
A. Halim Pks
Keyword(s):  
Water Table ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Ash Content ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Gas Temperature ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Closed Chamber ◽  
Peat Swamp Forest ◽  
Peat Swamp

This study focuses on factors controlling CO2and CH4emission in a peat swamp forest related to water table and peat characteristics such as peat depth, C-organic, pH, ash content and N-total. This study was conducted in the dry season at a Merang peat swamp forest that has degraded due to logging activities, forest fires and canal opening. Emission of CO2and CH4was measured by using a closed chamber made by PVC material (60 cm x 60 cm x 40 cm). This close chamber was completed with a fan inside the chamber to stir the gas, a thermometer inside the chamber to measure the gas temperature and a syringe to sample gas. This study has shown that the highest CO2emission is at an average of 438.93 mg/m2/hr occurring in land cover type (1) ferns and grasses (open burned area) and the lowest is at average of 44.45 mg/m2/hr in thegelamandbelidang-dominated land. The emission of CH4is very low between 0.0018 to 0.0069 mg/m2/hr. the main controlling factor on CO2and CH4emission is concluded to be the water table. The emission of CO2will be greater if water table, pH and C-organic increase.

scholarly journals Carbon Stocks from Peat Swamp Forest and Oil Palm Plantation in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
pp. 203-227
Author(s):  
Nisa Novita ◽  
J. Boone Kauffman ◽  
Kristell Hergoualc’h ◽  
Daniel Murdiyarso ◽  
Dede Hendry Tryanto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Palm ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Peat Swamp Forest ◽  
Central Kalimantan ◽  
Oil Palm Plantation ◽  
Peat Swamp

scholarly journals Peat swamp forest conservation withstands pervasive land conversion to oil palm plantation in North Selangor, Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (19) ◽  
pp. 7409-7438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis J. Charters ◽  
Paul Aplin ◽  
Christopher G. Marston ◽  
Rory Padfield ◽  
Nagarajan Rengasamy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Palm ◽  
Forest Conservation ◽  
Land Conversion ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Peat Swamp Forest ◽  
Oil Palm Plantation ◽  
Peat Swamp

scholarly journals Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from conversion of peat swamp forest to oil palm plantation

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah V. Cooper ◽  
Stephanie Evers ◽  
Paul Aplin ◽  
Neil Crout ◽  
Mohd Puat Bin Dahalan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Peat Swamp Forest ◽  
Oil Palm Plantation ◽  
Peat Swamp

Carbon balance of tropical peat ecosystems in Borneo

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Hirano
Keyword(s):  
Oil Palm ◽  
Carbon Balance ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Human Disturbances ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Tropical Peat ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Tropical Peatlands ◽  
Carbon Balances ◽  
Peat Fires

<p>Tropical peat swamp forest (PSF) is a unique ecosystem rich in carbon and water, which is widely distributed in Southeast Asia’s coastal lowlands, mainly in Borneo, Sumatra and Malay Peninsular. The ecosystem has accumulated a huge amount of organic carbon in peat soil over millennia under the condition of high groundwater level. However, PSF has been reduced and degraded by logging, drainage and burning mainly because of land conversion to oil palm and pulp wood plantations during the last two decades. Such human disturbances potentially increase carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions to the atmosphere through enhanced oxidative peat decomposition and the increased risk of peat fires. Thus, it is essentail to assess the current carbon status of tropical peatlands and quantify the effects of disturbance on the carbon balance to understand the role of tropical peatlands in the regional and global carbon balances. We have continuously measured ecosystem-scale eddy fluxes and soil fluxes of CO<sub>2</sub> and methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) in different tropical peat ecosystems, including a little drained PSF, a drained PSF, a burned ex-PSF and an oil palm plantation, in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, and Sarawak, Malaysia, in Borneo. Based on the monitoring data, I’ll talk about the carbon balance of tropical peat ecosystems, such as its seasonal variation and its relationship with groundwwater level, and the effect of disturbance due to human activities and ENSO drought on the carbon flux and balance.</p>

scholarly journals Land Cover and Land Use Change Decreases Net Ecosystem Production in Tropical Peatlands of West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1587
Author(s):  
Imam Basuki ◽  
J. Boone Kauffman ◽  
James T. Peterson ◽  
Gusti Z. Anshari ◽  
Daniel Murdiyarso
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Soil Respiration ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Net Ecosystem Production ◽  
Carbon Sinks ◽  
Peat Swamp ◽  
Ecosystem Production

Deforested and converted tropical peat swamp forests are susceptible to fires and are a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, information on the influence of land-use change (LUC) on the carbon dynamics in these disturbed peat forests is limited. This study aimed to quantify soil respiration (heterotrophic and autotrophic), net primary production (NPP), and net ecosystem production (NEP) in peat swamp forests, partially logged forests, early seral grasslands (deforested peat), and smallholder-oil palm estates (converted peat). Peat swamp forests (PSF) showed similar soil respiration with logged forests (LPSF) and oil palm (OP) estates (37.7 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1, 40.7 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1, and 38.7 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1, respectively), but higher than early seral (ES) grassland sites (30.7 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1). NPP of intact peat forests (13.2 Mg C ha−1 yr−1) was significantly greater than LPSF (11.1 Mg C ha−1 yr−1), ES (10.8 Mg C ha−1 yr−1), and OP (3.7 Mg C ha−1 yr−1). Peat swamp forests and seral grasslands were net carbon sinks (10.8 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1 and 9.1 CO2 ha−1 yr−1, respectively). In contrast, logged forests and oil palm estates were net carbon sources; they had negative mean Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) values (−0.1 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1 and −25.1 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1, respectively). The shift from carbon sinks to sources associated with land-use change was principally due to a decreased Net Primary Production (NPP) rather than increased soil respiration. Conservation of the remaining peat swamp forests and rehabilitation of deforested peatlands are crucial in GHG emission reduction programs.

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