1
|
Fawzi NI, Sumawinata B, Suwardi, Rahmasary AN, Qurani IZ, Naufaldary RG, Nabillah R, Palunggono HB, Mulyanto B. Integrated water management practice in tropical peatland agriculture has low carbon emissions and subsidence rates. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26661. [PMID: 38444506 PMCID: PMC10912239 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Hydrological management in the use of peatland for agriculture is the backbone of its sustainability and a critical factor in climate change mitigation. This study evaluates the application of an integrated water management practice known as the "Water Management Trinity" (WMT), implemented since 1986 on a coconut plantation on the eastern coast of Sumatra, in relation to CO2 emissions and subsidence rates. The WMT integrates canals, dikes, and dams with water gates to regulate water levels for both coconut agronomy and the preservation of the peat soil. The WMT has successfully regulated and maintained an average yearly water table depth of -45 to -51 cm below the surface. The methodology involved a closed chamber method for measuring soil CO2 flux using a portable Infrared Gas Analyzer, conducted weekly over a six-month period to cover dry and rainy season at bi-modal climate condition. Subsidence measurements have been ongoing from 1986 to 2022. The results show bare peat soil has heterotrophic respiration CO2 emissions of 7.77 t C-CO2 ha-1 yr-1, while in coconut plantations 7.99 t C-CO2 ha-1 yr-1, similar to emissions in mineral soils. Autotrophic respiration leads to the overestimation of CO2 emissions on peatland and accounts for 212-424% of the total emissions. The cumulative subsidence from 1986 to 2022 is -56.3 cm, with a soil rise of +0.8 cm in 2022, indicating a flattening rate of subsidence. This is characterized by an increase in bulk density at the surface from 0.072 to 0.144 gr/cm3, with approximately 81% of the subsidence being due to compaction. The statistical analysis found no relationship between water table depth and CO2 emissions, indicating that water table depth cannot be used as a predictor for CO2 emissions. In summary, peatland agriculture has a promising future when managed sustainably using an integrated hydrological management system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Ihsan Fawzi
- Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
- Tay Juhana Foundation, North Jakarta, 14440, Indonesia
| | - Basuki Sumawinata
- Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Suwardi
- Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Annisa Noyara Rahmasary
- Indonesian Agro-climate and Hydrology Standardization Institute, Ministry of Agriculture Republic of Indonesia, Bogor, 16111, Indonesia
| | | | - Raihan Garin Naufaldary
- Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Ratu Nabillah
- Tay Juhana Foundation, North Jakarta, 14440, Indonesia
| | - Heru Bagus Palunggono
- Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Budi Mulyanto
- Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ledger MJ, Sowter A, Morrison K, Evans CD, Large DJ, Athab A, Gee D, Brown C, Sjögersten S. Potential of APSIS-InSAR for measuring surface oscillations of tropical peatlands. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298939. [PMID: 38394278 PMCID: PMC10889637 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tropical peatland across Southeast Asia is drained extensively for production of pulpwood, palm oil and other food crops. Associated increases in peat decomposition have led to widespread subsidence, deterioration of peat condition and CO2 emissions. However, quantification of subsidence and peat condition from these processes is challenging due to the scale and inaccessibility of dense tropical peat swamp forests. The development of satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has the potential to solve this problem. The Advanced Pixel System using Intermittent Baseline Subset (APSIS, formerly ISBAS) modelling technique provides improved coverage across almost all land surfaces irrespective of ground cover, enabling derivation of a time series of tropical peatland surface oscillations across whole catchments. This study aimed to establish the extent to which APSIS-InSAR can monitor seasonal patterns of tropical peat surface oscillations at North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest, Peninsular Malaysia. Results showed that C-band SAR could penetrate the forest canopy over tropical peat swamp forests intermittently and was applicable to a range of land covers. Therefore the APSIS technique has the potential for monitoring peat surface oscillations under tropical forest canopy using regularly acquired C-band Sentinel-1 InSAR data, enabling continuous monitoring of tropical peatland surface motion at a spatial resolution of 20 m.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martha J. Ledger
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, United Kingdom
- School of Biological Sciences, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Andrew Sowter
- Terra Motion Limited, Ingenuity Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Morrison
- Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Chris D. Evans
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Large
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed Athab
- Terra Motion Limited, Ingenuity Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - David Gee
- Terra Motion Limited, Ingenuity Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Chloe Brown
- School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sofie Sjögersten
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Terzano D, Romana Trezza F, Rezende M, Malatesta L, Lew Siew Yan S, Parish F, Moss P, Bresciani F, Cooke R, Dargusch P, Attorre F. Prioritization of Peatland Restoration and Conservation interventions in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
|
4
|
Hapsari KA, Jennerjahn T, Nugroho SH, Yulianto E, Behling H. Sea level rise and climate change acting as interactive stressors on development and dynamics of tropical peatlands in coastal Sumatra and South Borneo since the Last Glacial Maximum. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:3459-3479. [PMID: 35312144 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Southeast Asian peatlands, along with their various important ecosystem services, are mainly distributed in the coastal areas of Sumatra and Borneo. These ecosystems are threatened by coastal development, global warming and sea level rise (SLR). Despite receiving growing attention for their biodiversity and as massive carbon stores, there is still a lack of knowledge on how they initiated and evolved over time, and how they responded to past environmental change, that is, precipitation, sea level and early anthropogenic activities. To improve our understanding thereof, we conducted multi-proxy paleoecological studies in the Kampar Peninsula and Katingan peatlands in the coastal area of Riau and Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The results indicate that the initiation timing and environment of both peatlands are very distinct, suggesting that peat could form under various vegetation as soon as there is sufficient moisture to limit organic matter decomposition. The past dynamics of both peatlands were mainly attributable to natural drivers, while anthropogenic activities were hardly relevant. Changes in precipitation and sea level led to shifts in peat swamp forest vegetation, peat accumulation rates and fire regimes at both sites. We infer that the simultaneous occurrence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and SLR resulted in synergistic effects which led to the occurrence of severe fires in a pristine coastal peatland ecosystem; however, it did not interrupt peat accretion. In the future, SLR, combined with the projected increase in frequency and intensity of ENSO, can potentially amplify the negative effects of anthropogenic peatland fires. This prospectively stimulates massive carbon release, thus could, in turn, contribute to worsening the global climate crisis especially once an as yet unknown threshold is crossed and peat accretion is halted, that is, peatlands lose their carbon sink function. Given the current rapid SLR, coastal peatland managements should start develop fire risk reduction or mitigation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Anggi Hapsari
- Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Tim Jennerjahn
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Geology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Faculty of Geoscience, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Septriono Hari Nugroho
- Research Center for Geotechnology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Eko Yulianto
- Research Center for Geotechnology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Hermann Behling
- Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Warren‐Thomas E, Agus F, Akbar PG, Crowson M, Hamer KC, Hariyadi B, Hodgson JA, Kartika WD, Lopes M, Lucey JM, Mustaqim D, Pettorelli N, Saad A, Sari W, Sukma G, Stringer LC, Ward C, Hill JK. No evidence for trade‐offs between bird diversity, yield and water table depth on oil palm smallholdings: Implications for tropical peatland landscape restoration. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Warren‐Thomas
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology University of York York UK
- School of Natural Sciences Bangor University Bangor UK
- Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Laxenburg Austria
| | - Fahmuddin Agus
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development Bogor Indonesia
| | | | - Merry Crowson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London London UK
| | - Keith C. Hamer
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Bambang Hariyadi
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | - Jenny A. Hodgson
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | - Winda D. Kartika
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | - Mailys Lopes
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London London UK
| | | | - Dedy Mustaqim
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | | | - Asmadi Saad
- Faculty of Agriculture Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | - Widia Sari
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | - Gita Sukma
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | - Lindsay C. Stringer
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology University of York York UK
- Department of Environment and Geography University of York York UK
- School of Earth and Environment University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Caroline Ward
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology University of York York UK
- School of Earth and Environment University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Jane K. Hill
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology University of York York UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Apers S, De Lannoy GJM, Baird AJ, Cobb AR, Dargie GC, del Aguila Pasquel J, Gruber A, Hastie A, Hidayat H, Hirano T, Hoyt AM, Jovani‐Sancho AJ, Katimon A, Kurnain A, Koster RD, Lampela M, Mahanama SPP, Melling L, Page SE, Reichle RH, Taufik M, Vanderborght J, Bechtold M. Tropical Peatland Hydrology Simulated With a Global Land Surface Model. JOURNAL OF ADVANCES IN MODELING EARTH SYSTEMS 2022; 14:e2021MS002784. [PMID: 35860446 PMCID: PMC9285420 DOI: 10.1029/2021ms002784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Tropical peatlands are among the most carbon-dense ecosystems on Earth, and their water storage dynamics strongly control these carbon stocks. The hydrological functioning of tropical peatlands differs from that of northern peatlands, which has not yet been accounted for in global land surface models (LSMs). Here, we integrated tropical peat-specific hydrology modules into a global LSM for the first time, by utilizing the peatland-specific model structure adaptation (PEATCLSM) of the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM). We developed literature-based parameter sets for natural (PEATCLSMTrop,Nat) and drained (PEATCLSMTrop,Drain) tropical peatlands. Simulations with PEATCLSMTrop,Nat were compared against those with the default CLSM version and the northern version of PEATCLSM (PEATCLSMNorth,Nat) with tropical vegetation input. All simulations were forced with global meteorological reanalysis input data for the major tropical peatland regions in Central and South America, the Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia. The evaluation against a unique and extensive data set of in situ water level and eddy covariance-derived evapotranspiration showed an overall improvement in bias and correlation compared to the default CLSM version. Over Southeast Asia, an additional simulation with PEATCLSMTrop,Drain was run to address the large fraction of drained tropical peatlands in this region. PEATCLSMTrop,Drain outperformed CLSM, PEATCLSMNorth,Nat, and PEATCLSMTrop,Nat over drained sites. Despite the overall improvements of PEATCLSMTrop,Nat over CLSM, there are strong differences in performance between the three study regions. We attribute these performance differences to regional differences in accuracy of meteorological forcing data, and differences in peatland hydrologic response that are not yet captured by our model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S. Apers
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | | | - A. J. Baird
- School of GeographyUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
| | - A. R. Cobb
- Center for Environmental Sensing and ModelingSingapore‐MIT Alliance for Research and TechnologySingaporeSingapore
| | | | - J. del Aguila Pasquel
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonia Peruana (IIAP)IquitosPeru
- Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana (UNAP)IquitosPeru
| | - A. Gruber
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| | - A. Hastie
- School of GeoSciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - H. Hidayat
- Research Center for LimnologyNational Research and Innovation AgencyCibinongIndonesia
| | - T. Hirano
- Research Faculty of AgricultureHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - A. M. Hoyt
- Department of Earth System ScienceStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - A. J. Jovani‐Sancho
- UK Centre for Ecology and HydrologyBangorUK
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of NottinghamLoughboroughUK
| | - A. Katimon
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering TechnologyUniversiti Malaysia PerlisKangarMalaysia
| | - A. Kurnain
- Department of Soil ScienceLambung Mangkurat UniversityBanjarmasinIndonesia
| | - R. D. Koster
- Global Modeling and Assimilation OfficeNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - M. Lampela
- Department of Forest SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - S. P. P. Mahanama
- Global Modeling and Assimilation OfficeNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
- Science Systems and Applications Inc.LanhamMDUSA
| | - L. Melling
- Sarawak Tropical Peat Research InstituteKuchingMalaysia
| | - S. E. Page
- School of Geography, Geology and the EnvironmentUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUK
| | - R. H. Reichle
- Global Modeling and Assimilation OfficeNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - M. Taufik
- Department of Geophysics and MeteorologyIPB UniversityBogorIndonesia
| | - J. Vanderborght
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
- Agrosphere InstituteIBG‐3Forschungszentrum JülichJülichGermany
| | - M. Bechtold
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesKU LeuvenHeverleeBelgium
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kiely L, Spracklen DV, Arnold SR, Papargyropoulou E, Conibear L, Wiedinmyer C, Knote C, Adrianto HA. Assessing costs of Indonesian fires and the benefits of restoring peatland. Nat Commun 2021; 12:7044. [PMID: 34857766 PMCID: PMC8639972 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27353-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Deforestation and drainage has made Indonesian peatlands susceptible to burning. Large fires occur regularly, destroying agricultural crops and forest, emitting large amounts of CO2 and air pollutants, resulting in adverse health effects. In order to reduce fire, the Indonesian government has committed to restore 2.49 Mha of degraded peatland, with an estimated cost of US$3.2-7 billion. Here we combine fire emissions and land cover data to estimate the 2015 fires, the largest in recent years, resulted in economic losses totalling US$28 billion, whilst the six largest fire events between 2004 and 2015 caused a total of US$93.9 billion in economic losses. We estimate that if restoration had already been completed, the area burned in 2015 would have been reduced by 6%, reducing CO2 emissions by 18%, and PM2.5 emissions by 24%, preventing 12,000 premature mortalities. Peatland restoration could have resulted in economic savings of US$8.4 billion for 2004-2015, making it a cost-effective strategy for reducing the impacts of peatland fires to the environment, climate and human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L. Kiely
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK ,grid.266097.c0000 0001 2222 1582Present Address: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA USA
| | - D. V. Spracklen
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - S. R. Arnold
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - E. Papargyropoulou
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - L. Conibear
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - C. Wiedinmyer
- grid.464551.70000 0004 0450 3000CIRES, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA
| | - C. Knote
- grid.5252.00000 0004 1936 973XLudwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - H. A. Adrianto
- grid.9909.90000 0004 1936 8403School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK ,grid.440754.60000 0001 0698 0773IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
McCalmont J, Kho LK, Teh YA, Lewis K, Chocholek M, Rumpang E, Hill T. Short- and long-term carbon emissions from oil palm plantations converted from logged tropical peat swamp forest. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2361-2376. [PMID: 33528067 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Need for regional economic development and global demand for agro-industrial commodities have resulted in large-scale conversion of forested landscapes to industrial agriculture across South East Asia. However, net emissions of CO2 from tropical peatland conversions may be significant and remain poorly quantified, resulting in controversy around the magnitude of carbon release following conversion. Here we present long-term, whole ecosystem monitoring of carbon exchange from two oil palm plantations on converted tropical peat swamp forest. Our sites compare a newly converted oil palm plantation (OPnew) to a mature oil palm plantation (OPmature) and combine them in the context of existing emission factors. Mean annual net emission (NEE) of CO2 measured at OPnew during the conversion period (137.8 Mg CO2 ha-1 year-1 ) was an order of magnitude lower during the measurement period at OPmature (17.5 Mg CO2 ha-1 year-1 ). However, mean water table depth (WTD) was shallower (0.26 m) than a typical drainage target of 0.6 m suggesting our emissions may be a conservative estimate for mature plantations, mean WTD at OPnew was more typical at 0.54 m. Reductions in net emissions were primarily driven by increasing biomass accumulation into highly productive palms. Further analysis suggested annual peat carbon losses of 24.9 Mg CO2 -C ha-1 year-1 over the first 6 years, lower than previous estimates for this early period from subsidence studies, losses reduced to 12.8 Mg CO2 -C ha-1 year-1 in the later, mature phase. Despite reductions in NEE and carbon loss over time, the system remained a large net source of carbon to the atmosphere after 12 years with the remaining 8 years of a typical plantation's rotation unlikely to recoup losses. These results emphasize the need for effective protection of tropical peatlands globally and strengthening of legislative enforcement where moratoria on peatland conversion already exist.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jon McCalmont
- College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Lip Khoon Kho
- Tropical Peat Research Institute, Biological Research Division, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yit Arn Teh
- School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Kennedy Lewis
- College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Melanie Chocholek
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Elisa Rumpang
- Tropical Peat Research Institute, Biological Research Division, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Timothy Hill
- College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mishra S, Page SE, Cobb AR, Lee JSH, Jovani‐Sancho AJ, Sjögersten S, Jaya A, Aswandi, Wardle DA. Degradation of Southeast Asian tropical peatlands and integrated strategies for their better management and restoration. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra Mishra
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
| | - Susan E. Page
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment University of Leicester Leicester UK
| | - Alexander R. Cobb
- Singapore‐MIT Alliance for Research and TechnologyCenter for Environmental Sensing and Modeling Singapore Singapore
| | - Janice Ser Huay Lee
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
| | | | | | - Adi Jaya
- Department of Agronomy University of Palangka Raya Palangka Raya Indonesia
| | - Aswandi
- Center for Environmental Studies (PSLH‐LPPM) University of Jambi Jambi Indonesia
| | - David A. Wardle
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nutrient Balance as a Tool for Maintaining Yield and Mitigating Environmental Impacts of Acacia Plantation in Drained Tropical Peatland—Description of Plantation Simulator. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12030312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Responsible management of Acacia plantations requires an improved understanding of trade-offs between maintaining stand production whilst reducing environmental impacts. Intensive drainage and the resulting low water tables (WT) increase carbon emissions, peat subsidence, fire risk and nutrient export to water courses, whilst increasing nutrient availability for plant uptake from peat mineralization. In the plantations, hydrology, stand growth, carbon and nutrient balance, and peat subsidence are connected forming a complex dynamic system, which can be thoroughly understood by dynamic process models. We developed the Plantation Simulator to describe the effect of drainage, silviculture, fertilization, and weed control on the above-mentioned processes and to find production schemes that are environmentally and economically viable. The model successfully predicted measured peat subsidence, which was used as a proxy for stand total mass balance. Computed nutrient balances indicated that the main growth-limiting factor was phosphorus (P) supply, and the P balance was affected by site index, mortality rate and WT. In a scenario assessment, where WT was raised from −0.80 m to −0.40 m the subsidence rate decreased from 4.4 to 3.3 cm yr−1, and carbon loss from 17 to 9 Mg ha−1 yr−1. P balance shifted from marginally positive to negative suggesting that additional P fertilization is needed to maintain stand productivity as a trade-off for reducing C emissions.
Collapse
|
11
|
Tan ZD, Lupascu M, Wijedasa LS. Paludiculture as a sustainable land use alternative for tropical peatlands: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 753:142111. [PMID: 33207474 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Peatlands cover approximately 4.2 million km2 of terrestrial land surface and store up to 700 Pg of terrestrial carbon. Preserving the carbon stocks in peatland is therefore crucial for climate change mitigation. Under natural conditions, peatland carbon storage is maintained by moist peat conditions, which decreases decomposition and encourages peat formation. However, conversion of peatlands to drainage-based agriculture in the form of industrial plantations and smallholder farming has resulted in globally significant greenhouse gas emissions. Paludiculture, loosely conceptualized as biomass production on wet peatlands with the potential to maintain carbon storage, is proposed as a sustainable, non-drainage-based agriculture alternative for peatland use. However, while the concept of paludiculture was developed in temperate ecoregions, its application in the tropics is poorly understood. In this review, we examine common definitions of paludiculture used in literature to derive key themes and future directions. We found three common themes: ecosystem services benefits of paludiculture, hydrological conditions of peatlands, and vegetation selection for planting. Ambiguities surrounding these themes have led to questions on whether paludiculture applications are sustainable in the context of carbon sequestration in peat soil. This review aims to evaluate and advance current understanding of paludiculture in the context of tropical peatlands, which is especially pertinent given expanding agriculture development into Central Africa and South America, where large reserves of peatlands were recently discovered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zu Dienle Tan
- Department of Geography, 1 Arts Link, #03-01 Block AS2, National University of Singapore, 117570, Singapore.
| | - Massimo Lupascu
- Department of Geography, 1 Arts Link, #03-01 Block AS2, National University of Singapore, 117570, Singapore; Integrated Tropical Peatlands Research Programme, NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), T-Labs, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore.
| | - Lahiru S Wijedasa
- Integrated Tropical Peatlands Research Programme, NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), T-Labs, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ward C, Stringer LC, Warren-Thomas E, Agus F, Crowson M, Hamer K, Hariyadi B, Kartika WD, Lucey J, McClean C, Nurida NL, Petorelli N, Pratiwi E, Saad A, Andriyani R, Ariani T, Sriwahyuni H, Hill JK. Smallholder perceptions of land restoration activities: rewetting tropical peatland oil palm areas in Sumatra, Indonesia. REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE 2020; 21:1. [PMID: 33362432 PMCID: PMC7749744 DOI: 10.1007/s10113-020-01737-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The Indonesian government committed to restoring over 2 million ha of degraded peatland by the end of 2020, mainly to reduce peat fires and greenhouse gas emissions. Although it is unlikely the government will meet this target, restoration projects are still underway. One restoration strategy involves blocking peatland drainage canals, but the consequences of this for smallholder farmers whose livelihoods are dependent on agriculture are unclear. This paper investigates perceived impacts of canal blocks on smallholder farmers and identifies factors that affect their willingness to accept canal blocks on their land. We use data from 181 household questionnaires collected in 2018 across three villages in Jambi province, Sumatra. We found that the majority of respondents would accept canal blocks on their farms, perceiving that the blocks would have no impact on yields or farm access, and would decrease fire risk. Respondents who would not accept blocks on their farms were more likely to use canals to access their farms and perceive that canal blocks would decrease yields. The majority of farmers unwilling to accept canal blocks did not change their mind when provided with an option of a block that would allow boat travel. Our results improve understanding of why some smallholders may be unwilling to engage with peatland restoration. Further research is needed to understand the impact of canal blocks on smallholders' yields. Engaging with stakeholders from the outset to understand farmers' concerns, and perceptions is key if the government is to succeed in meeting its peatland restoration target and to ensure that the costs and benefits of restoration are evenly shared between local stakeholders and other actors. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10113-020-01737-z.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Ward
- Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, York, UK
| | - Lindsay C. Stringer
- Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Environment Department, University of York, York, UK
| | - Eleanor Warren-Thomas
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, York, UK
| | - Fahmuddin Agus
- Indonesia Soil Research Institute, Indonesia Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Merry Crowson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Keith Hamer
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Bambang Hariyadi
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, Jambi University, Jambi, Indonesia
| | - Winda D. Kartika
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, Jambi University, Jambi, Indonesia
| | | | - Colin McClean
- Environment Department, University of York, York, UK
| | - Neneng L. Nurida
- Indonesia Soil Research Institute, Indonesia Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development, Bogor, Indonesia
| | | | - Etty Pratiwi
- Indonesia Soil Research Institute, Indonesia Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Aasmadi Saad
- Soil Science Division, Faculty of Agriculture, Jambi University, Jambi, Indonesia
| | - Ririn Andriyani
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, Jambi University, Jambi, Indonesia
| | - Tantria Ariani
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, Jambi University, Jambi, Indonesia
| | - Heni Sriwahyuni
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, Jambi University, Jambi, Indonesia
| | - Jane K. Hill
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Geurts JJM, Oehmke C, Lambertini C, Eller F, Sorrell BK, Mandiola SR, Grootjans AP, Brix H, Wichtmann W, Lamers LPM, Fritz C. Nutrient removal potential and biomass production by Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia on European rewetted peat and mineral soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 747:141102. [PMID: 32795788 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Paludiculture, sustainable and climate-smart land use of formerly drained, rewetted organic soils, can produce significant biomass in peatlands whilst potentially restoring several additional wetland services. However, the site conditions that allow maximum biomass production and nutrient removal by paludiculture crops have rarely been studied. We studied the relationship between soil characteristics, including plant-available nutrients, peak biomass, stand age, harvest period, and nutrient removal potential for two important paludiculture species, Typha latifolia and Phragmites australis, on rewetted peat and mineral soils in a large-scale European survey. T. latifolia and P. australis were able to produce an aboveground peak biomass of 10-30 t dry matter ha-1 y-1 and absorbed significant amounts of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in stands older than 3 years. They were able to grow in a wide range of abiotic soil conditions. Low N:P ratios (5-9) and low N content (< 2%) in T. latifolia tissue suggest N limitation, but P uptake was still surprisingly high. P. australis had higher N:P ratios (8-25) and was less responsive to nutrients, suggesting a higher nutrient use efficiency. However, both species could still produce significant biomass at lower nutrient loads and in winter, when water content was low and nutrient removal still reasonable. Based on this European wetland survey, paludiculture holds a great potential to combine peat preservation, water purification, nutrient removal, and a high biomass production. Paludicrops take up substantial amounts of nutrients, and both summer and winter harvests provide an effective way to sequester carbon in a range of high-valued biomass products and to control nutrient effluxes from rewetted sites at the landscape scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen J M Geurts
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands; B-Ware Research Centre, PO Box 6558, 6503 GB Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Claudia Oehmke
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Carla Lambertini
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Alle 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Franziska Eller
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Alle 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Brian K Sorrell
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Alle 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Samuel R Mandiola
- Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, IVEM, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Albert P Grootjans
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, IVEM, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Hans Brix
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Alle 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Wendelin Wichtmann
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Leon P M Lamers
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Christian Fritz
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Center for Energy and Environmental Sciences, IVEM, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Meijaard E, Brooks TM, Carlson KM, Slade EM, Garcia-Ulloa J, Gaveau DLA, Lee JSH, Santika T, Juffe-Bignoli D, Struebig MJ, Wich SA, Ancrenaz M, Koh LP, Zamira N, Abrams JF, Prins HHT, Sendashonga CN, Murdiyarso D, Furumo PR, Macfarlane N, Hoffmann R, Persio M, Descals A, Szantoi Z, Sheil D. The environmental impacts of palm oil in context. NATURE PLANTS 2020; 6:1418-1426. [PMID: 33299148 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-020-00813-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires balancing demands on land between agriculture (SDG 2) and biodiversity (SDG 15). The production of vegetable oils and, in particular, palm oil, illustrates these competing demands and trade-offs. Palm oil accounts for ~40% of the current global annual demand for vegetable oil as food, animal feed and fuel (210 Mt), but planted oil palm covers less than 5-5.5% of the total global oil crop area (approximately 425 Mha) due to oil palm's relatively high yields. Recent oil palm expansion in forested regions of Borneo, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, where >90% of global palm oil is produced, has led to substantial concern around oil palm's role in deforestation. Oil palm expansion's direct contribution to regional tropical deforestation varies widely, ranging from an estimated 3% in West Africa to 50% in Malaysian Borneo. Oil palm is also implicated in peatland draining and burning in Southeast Asia. Documented negative environmental impacts from such expansion include biodiversity declines, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. However, oil palm generally produces more oil per area than other oil crops, is often economically viable in sites unsuitable for most other crops and generates considerable wealth for at least some actors. Global demand for vegetable oils is projected to increase by 46% by 2050. Meeting this demand through additional expansion of oil palm versus other vegetable oil crops will lead to substantial differential effects on biodiversity, food security, climate change, land degradation and livelihoods. Our Review highlights that although substantial gaps remain in our understanding of the relationship between the environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts of oil palm, and the scope, stringency and effectiveness of initiatives to address these, there has been little research into the impacts and trade-offs of other vegetable oil crops. Greater research attention needs to be given to investigating the impacts of palm oil production compared to alternatives for the trade-offs to be assessed at a global scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Meijaard
- Borneo Futures, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Thomas M Brooks
- Science and Knowledge Unit, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
- World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), University of The Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kimberly M Carlson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eleanor M Slade
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - John Garcia-Ulloa
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Janice Ser Huay Lee
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Truly Santika
- Borneo Futures, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Diego Juffe-Bignoli
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew J Struebig
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Serge A Wich
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marc Ancrenaz
- Borneo Futures, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
- Kinabatangan Orang-Utan Conservation Programme, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Jesse F Abrams
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Global Systems Institute and Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Herbert H T Prins
- Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Daniel Murdiyarso
- Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia
- Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Paul R Furumo
- Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Rachel Hoffmann
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marcos Persio
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Adrià Descals
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Zoltan Szantoi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
- Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Douglas Sheil
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Meijaard E, Brooks TM, Carlson KM, Slade EM, Garcia-Ulloa J, Gaveau DLA, Lee JSH, Santika T, Juffe-Bignoli D, Struebig MJ, Wich SA, Ancrenaz M, Koh LP, Zamira N, Abrams JF, Prins HHT, Sendashonga CN, Murdiyarso D, Furumo PR, Macfarlane N, Hoffmann R, Persio M, Descals A, Szantoi Z, Sheil D. The environmental impacts of palm oil in context. NATURE PLANTS 2020. [PMID: 33299148 DOI: 10.31223/osf.io/e69bz] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires balancing demands on land between agriculture (SDG 2) and biodiversity (SDG 15). The production of vegetable oils and, in particular, palm oil, illustrates these competing demands and trade-offs. Palm oil accounts for ~40% of the current global annual demand for vegetable oil as food, animal feed and fuel (210 Mt), but planted oil palm covers less than 5-5.5% of the total global oil crop area (approximately 425 Mha) due to oil palm's relatively high yields. Recent oil palm expansion in forested regions of Borneo, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, where >90% of global palm oil is produced, has led to substantial concern around oil palm's role in deforestation. Oil palm expansion's direct contribution to regional tropical deforestation varies widely, ranging from an estimated 3% in West Africa to 50% in Malaysian Borneo. Oil palm is also implicated in peatland draining and burning in Southeast Asia. Documented negative environmental impacts from such expansion include biodiversity declines, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. However, oil palm generally produces more oil per area than other oil crops, is often economically viable in sites unsuitable for most other crops and generates considerable wealth for at least some actors. Global demand for vegetable oils is projected to increase by 46% by 2050. Meeting this demand through additional expansion of oil palm versus other vegetable oil crops will lead to substantial differential effects on biodiversity, food security, climate change, land degradation and livelihoods. Our Review highlights that although substantial gaps remain in our understanding of the relationship between the environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts of oil palm, and the scope, stringency and effectiveness of initiatives to address these, there has been little research into the impacts and trade-offs of other vegetable oil crops. Greater research attention needs to be given to investigating the impacts of palm oil production compared to alternatives for the trade-offs to be assessed at a global scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Meijaard
- Borneo Futures, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Thomas M Brooks
- Science and Knowledge Unit, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland
- World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), University of The Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kimberly M Carlson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eleanor M Slade
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - John Garcia-Ulloa
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Janice Ser Huay Lee
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Truly Santika
- Borneo Futures, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Diego Juffe-Bignoli
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew J Struebig
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Serge A Wich
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marc Ancrenaz
- Borneo Futures, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
- Kinabatangan Orang-Utan Conservation Programme, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Jesse F Abrams
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Global Systems Institute and Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Herbert H T Prins
- Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Daniel Murdiyarso
- Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia
- Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Paul R Furumo
- Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Rachel Hoffmann
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marcos Persio
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Adrià Descals
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Zoltan Szantoi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
- Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Douglas Sheil
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Harrison ME, Wijedasa LS, Cole LE, Cheyne SM, Choiruzzad SAB, Chua L, Dargie GC, Ewango CE, Honorio Coronado EN, Ifo SA, Imron MA, Kopansky D, Lestarisa T, O’Reilly PJ, Van Offelen J, Refisch J, Roucoux K, Sugardjito J, Thornton SA, Upton C, Page S. Tropical peatlands and their conservation are important in the context of COVID-19 and potential future (zoonotic) disease pandemics. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10283. [PMID: 33240628 PMCID: PMC7678489 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused global disruption, with the emergence of this and other pandemics having been linked to habitat encroachment and/or wildlife exploitation. High impacts of COVID-19 are apparent in some countries with large tropical peatland areas, some of which are relatively poorly resourced to tackle disease pandemics. Despite this, no previous investigation has considered tropical peatlands in the context of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). Here, we review: (i) the potential for future EIDs arising from tropical peatlands; (ii) potential threats to tropical peatland conservation and local communities from COVID-19; and (iii) potential steps to help mitigate these risks. We find that high biodiversity in tropical peat-swamp forests, including presence of many potential vertebrate and invertebrate vectors, combined, in places, with high levels of habitat disruption and wildlife harvesting represent suitable conditions for potential zoonotic EID (re-)emergence. Although impossible to predict precisely, we identify numerous potential threats to tropical peatland conservation and local communities from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes impacts on public health, with the potential for haze pollution from peatland fires to increase COVID-19 susceptibility a noted concern; and on local economies, livelihoods and food security, where impacts will likely be greater in remote communities with limited/no medical facilities that depend heavily on external trade. Research, training, education, conservation and restoration activities are also being affected, particularly those involving physical groupings and international travel, some of which may result in increased habitat encroachment, wildlife harvesting or fire, and may therefore precipitate longer-term negative impacts, including those relating to disease pandemics. We conclude that sustainable management of tropical peatlands and their wildlife is important for mitigating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and reducing the potential for future zoonotic EID emergence and severity, thus strengthening arguments for their conservation and restoration. To support this, we list seven specific recommendations relating to sustainable management of tropical peatlands in the context of COVID-19/disease pandemics, plus mitigating the current impacts of COVID-19 and reducing potential future zoonotic EID risk in these localities. Our discussion and many of the issues raised should also be relevant for non-tropical peatland areas and in relation to other (pandemic-related) sudden socio-economic shocks that may occur in future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark E. Harrison
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
- Borneo Nature Foundation International, Penryn, UK
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Lahiru S. Wijedasa
- Integrated Tropical Peatland Research Program (INTPREP), Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- ConservationLinks Pvt Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lydia E.S. Cole
- School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Susan M. Cheyne
- Borneo Nature Foundation International, Penryn, UK
- Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
- IUCN SSC PSG Section on Small Apes, Oxford, UK
| | - Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad
- Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
- ASEAN Studies Center, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Liana Chua
- Department of Social and Political Sciences, Brunel University, London, UK
| | | | - Corneille E.N. Ewango
- Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management/Faculty of Sciences, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, DR Congo
| | | | - Suspense A. Ifo
- Laboratoire de Géomatique et d’Ecologie Tropicale Appliquée, Département des Sciences et Vie de la Terre, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | - Dianna Kopansky
- Global Peatlands Initiative, Ecosystems Division, United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Trilianty Lestarisa
- Faculty of Medicine, Palangka Raya University, Palangka Raya, Kalteng, Indonesia
- Doctoral Program of Public Health, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Patrick J. O’Reilly
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Johannes Refisch
- Great Apes Survival Partnership, United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Katherine Roucoux
- School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Jito Sugardjito
- Centre for Sustainable Energy and Resources Management, Universitas Nasional, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Faculty of Biology, Universitas Nasional, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Sara A. Thornton
- Borneo Nature Foundation International, Penryn, UK
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Caroline Upton
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Susan Page
- Borneo Nature Foundation International, Penryn, UK
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ward C, Stringer LC, Warren‐Thomas E, Agus F, Hamer K, Pettorelli N, Hariyadi B, Hodgson J, Kartika WD, Lucey J, McClean C, Nurida NL, Saad A, Hill JK. Wading through the swamp: what does tropical peatland restoration mean to national‐level stakeholders in Indonesia? Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Ward
- Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds Leeds U.K
| | | | | | - Fahmuddin Agus
- Indonesia Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development Indonesia Soil Research Institute Bogor Indonesia
| | - Keith Hamer
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences University of Leeds Leeds U.K
| | | | - Bambang Hariyadi
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | - Jenny Hodgson
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool Liverpool U.K
| | - Winda D. Kartika
- Biology Education Program, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | | | | | - Neneng L. Nurida
- Indonesia Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development Indonesia Soil Research Institute Bogor Indonesia
| | - Asmadi Saad
- Soil Science Division, Faculty of Agriculture Jambi University Jambi Indonesia
| | - Jane K. Hill
- Department of Biology University of York York U.K
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wedeux B, Dalponte M, Schlund M, Hagen S, Cochrane M, Graham L, Usup A, Thomas A, Coomes D. Dynamics of a human-modified tropical peat swamp forest revealed by repeat lidar surveys. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:3947-3964. [PMID: 32267596 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Tropical peat swamp forests (PSFs) are globally important carbon stores under threat. In Southeast Asia, 35% of peatlands had been drained and converted to plantations by 2010, and much of the remaining forest had been logged, contributing significantly to global carbon emissions. Yet, tropical forests have the capacity to regain biomass quickly and forests on drained peatlands may grow faster in response to soil aeration, so the net effect of humans on forest biomass remains poorly understood. In this study, two lidar surveys (made in 2011 and 2014) are compared to map forest biomass dynamics across 96 km2 of PSF in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The peatland is now legally protected for conservation, but large expanses were logged under concessions until 1998 and illegal logging continues in accessible portions. It was hypothesized that historically logged areas would be recovering biomass while recently logged areas would be losing biomass. We found that historically logged forests were recovering biomass near old canals and railways used by the concessions. Lidar detected substantial illegal logging activity-579 km of logging canals were located beneath the canopy. Some patches close to these canals have been logged in the 2011-2104 period (i.e. substantial biomass loss) but, on aggregate, these illegally logged regions were also recovering. Unexpectedly, rapid growth was also observed in intact forest that had not been logged and was over a kilometre from the nearest known canal, perhaps in response to greater aeration of surface peat. Comparing these results with flux measurements taken at other nearby sites, we find that carbon sequestration in above-ground biomass may have offset roughly half the carbon efflux from peat oxidation. This study demonstrates the power of repeat lidar survey to map fine-scale forest dynamics in remote areas, revealing previously unrecognized impacts of anthropogenic global change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Béatrice Wedeux
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michele Dalponte
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems and Bioresources, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Michael Schlund
- Cartography, GIS & Remote Sensing Department, Institute of Geography, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Mark Cochrane
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), Frostburg, MD, USA
| | - Laura Graham
- BOS-Mawas at The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Palanka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Aswin Usup
- University of Palangka Raya, Palanka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - Andri Thomas
- BOS-Mawas at The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Palanka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
| | - David Coomes
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Palm oil production is a key industry in tropical regions, driven by the demand for affordable vegetable oil. Palm oil production has been increasing by 9% every year, mostly due to expanding biofuel markets. However, the oil palm industry has been associated with key environmental issues, such as deforestation, peatland exploitation and biomass burning that release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, leading to climate change. This review therefore aims to discuss the characteristics of oil palm plantations and their impacts, especially CO2 emissions in the Southeast Asian region. The tropical climate and soil in Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, are very suitable for growing oil palm trees. However, due to the scarcity of available plantation areas deforestation occurs, especially in peat swamp areas. Total carbon losses from both biomass and peat due to the conversion of tropical virgin peat swamp forest into oil palm plantations are estimated to be around 427.2 ± 90.7 t C ha−1 and 17.1 ± 3.6 t C ha−1 year−1, respectively. Even though measured CO2 fluxes have shown that overall, oil palm plantation CO2 emissions are about one to two times higher than other major crops, the ability of oil palms to absorb CO2 (a net of 64 tons of CO2 per hectare each year) and produce around 18 tons of oxygen per hectare per year is one of the main advantages of this crop. Since the oil palm industry plays a crucial role in the socio-economic development of Southeast Asian countries, sustainable and environmentally friendly practices would provide economic benefits while minimizing environmental impacts. A comprehensive review of all existing oil plantation procedures is needed to ensure that this high yielding crop has highly competitive environmental benefits.
Collapse
|
20
|
Karlsson M, Gilek M. Mind the gap: Coping with delay in environmental governance. AMBIO 2020; 49:1067-1075. [PMID: 31571044 PMCID: PMC7067715 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01265-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Gaps between public policy goals and the state of the environment are often significant. However, while goal failures in environmental governance are studied in a number of disciplines, the knowledge on the various causes behind delayed goal achievement is still incomplete. In this article we propose a new framework for analysis of delay mechanisms in science and policy, with the intention to provide a complementary lens for describing, analysing and counteracting delay in environmental governance. The framework is based on case-study findings from recent research focusing on goal-failures in policies for climate change, hazardous chemicals, biodiversity loss and eutrophication. It is also related to previous research on science and policy processes and their interactions. We exemplify the framework with two delay mechanisms that we consider particularly important to highlight-denial of science and decision thresholds. We call for further research in the field, for development of the framework, and not least for increased attention to delay mechanisms in environmental policy review and development on national as well as international levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Karlsson
- Division of Philosophy, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Gilek
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, Alfred Nobels Allé 7, 141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Lopes M, Frison P, Crowson M, Warren‐Thomas E, Hariyadi B, Kartika WD, Agus F, Hamer KC, Stringer L, Hill JK, Pettorelli N. Improving the accuracy of land cover classification in cloud persistent areas using optical and radar satellite image time series. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mailys Lopes
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
- DYNAFORUniversity of ToulouseINRA Castanet‐Tolosan France
- LaSTIGUPEM/IGNUniversity Paris‐Est Marne‐la‐Vallée Marne‐la‐Vallée France
| | | | - Merry Crowson
- Institute of Zoology Zoological Society of London London UK
| | | | - Bambang Hariyadi
- Biology Education Program Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Universitas Jambi Jambi Indonesia
| | - Winda D. Kartika
- Biology Education Program Faculty of Education and Teacher Training Universitas Jambi Jambi Indonesia
| | - Fahmuddin Agus
- Indonesian Soil Research InstituteIndonesian Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and DevelopmentBogor Indonesia
| | | | | | - Jane K. Hill
- Department of Biology University of York York UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Relationship Between Fire and Forest Cover Loss in Riau Province, Indonesia Between 2001 and 2012. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10100889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Forest and peatland fires occur regularly across Indonesia, resulting in large greenhouse gas emissions and causing major air quality issues. Over the last few decades, Indonesia has also experienced extensive forest loss and conversion of natural forest to oil palm and timber plantations. Here we used data on fire hotspots and tree-cover loss, as well as information on the extent of peat land, protected areas, and concessions to explore spatial and temporal relationships among forest, forest loss, and fire frequency. We focus on the Riau Province in Central Sumatra, one of the most active regions of fire in Indonesia. We find strong relationships between forest loss and fire at the local scale. Regions with forest loss experienced six times as many fire hotspots compared to regions with no forest loss. Forest loss and maximum fire frequency occurred within the same year, or one year apart, in 70% of the 1 km2 cells experiencing both forest loss and fire. Frequency of fire was lower both before and after forest loss, suggesting that most fire is associated with the forest loss process. On peat soils, fire frequency was a factor 10 to 100 lower in protected areas and natural forest logging concessions compared to oil palm and wood fiber (timber) concessions. Efforts to reduce fire need to address the underlying role of land-use and land-cover change in the occurrence of fire. Increased support for protected areas and natural forest logging concessions and restoration of degraded peatlands may reduce future fire risk. During times of high fire risk, fire suppression resources should be targeted to regions that are experiencing recent forest loss, as these regions are most likely to experience fire.
Collapse
|
23
|
Waldron S, Vihermaa L, Evers S, Garnett MH, Newton J, Henderson ACG. C mobilisation in disturbed tropical peat swamps: old DOC can fuel the fluvial efflux of old carbon dioxide, but site recovery can occur. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11429. [PMID: 31391485 PMCID: PMC6685963 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46534-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Southeast-Asian peat swamp forests have been significantly logged and converted to plantation. Recently, to mitigate land degradation and C losses, some areas have been left to regenerate. Understanding how such complex land use change affects greenhouse gas emissions is essential for modelling climate feedbacks and supporting land management decisions. We carried out field research in a Malaysian swamp forest and an oil palm plantation to understand how clear-felling, drainage, and illegal and authorized conversion to oil palm impacted the C cycle, and how the C cycle may change if such logging and conversion stopped. We found that both the swamp forest and the plantation emit centuries-old CO2 from their drainage systems in the managed areas, releasing sequestered C to the atmosphere. Oil palm plantations are an iconic symbol of tropical peatland degradation, but CO2 efflux from the recently-burnt, cleared swamp forest was as old as from the oil palm plantation. However, in the swamp forest site, where logging had ceased approximately 30 years ago, the age of the CO2 efflux was modern, indicating recovery of the system can occur. 14C dating of the C pool acted as a tracer of recovery as well as degradation and offers a new tool to assess efficacy of restoration management. Methane was present in many sites, and in higher concentrations in slow-flowing anoxic systems as degassing mechanisms are not strong. Methane loading in freshwaters is rarely considered, but this may be an important C pool in restored drainage channels and should be considered in C budgets and losses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan Waldron
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
| | - Leena Vihermaa
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Stephanie Evers
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.,School of Geographical and Environmental Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mark H Garnett
- NERC Radiocarbon Facility, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK
| | - Jason Newton
- Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, G75 0QF, UK
| | - Andrew C G Henderson
- School of Geography, Politics & Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Dommain R, Frolking S, Jeltsch-Thömmes A, Joos F, Couwenberg J, Glaser PH. A radiative forcing analysis of tropical peatlands before and after their conversion to agricultural plantations. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:5518-5533. [PMID: 30007100 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The tropical peat swamp forests of South-East Asia are being rapidly converted to agricultural plantations of oil palm and Acacia creating a significant global "hot-spot" for CO2 emissions. However, the effect of this major perturbation has yet to be quantified in terms of global warming potential (GWP) and the Earth's radiative budget. We used a GWP analysis and an impulse-response model of radiative forcing to quantify the climate forcing of this shift from a long-term carbon sink to a net source of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4 ). In the GWP analysis, five tropical peatlands were sinks in terms of their CO2 equivalent fluxes while they remained undisturbed. However, their drainage and conversion to oil palm and Acacia plantations produced a dramatic shift to very strong net CO2 -equivalent sources. The induced losses of peat carbon are ~20× greater than the natural CO2 sequestration rates. In contrast, a radiative forcing model indicates that the magnitude of this shift from a net cooling to warming effect is ultimately related to the size of an individual peatland's carbon pool. The continuous accumulation of carbon in pristine tropical peatlands produced a progressively negative radiative forcing (i.e., cooling) that ranged from -2.1 to -6.7 nW/m2 per hectare peatland by 2010 CE, referenced to zero at the time of peat initiation. Peatland conversion to plantations leads to an immediate shift from negative to positive trend in radiative forcing (i.e., warming). If drainage persists, peak warming ranges from +3.3 to +8.7 nW/m2 per hectare of drained peatland. More importantly, this net warming impact on the Earth's radiation budget will persist for centuries to millennia after all the peat has been oxidized to CO2 . This previously unreported and undesirable impact on the Earth's radiative balance provides a scientific rationale for conserving tropical peatlands in their pristine state.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- René Dommain
- Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Steve Frolking
- Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire
| | - Aurich Jeltsch-Thömmes
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fortunat Joos
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - John Couwenberg
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Partner in the Greifswald Mire Center, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Paul H Glaser
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wijedasa LS, Sloan S, Page SE, Clements GR, Lupascu M, Evans TA. Carbon emissions from South-East Asian peatlands will increase despite emission-reduction schemes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:4598-4613. [PMID: 29855120 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Carbon emissions from drained peatlands converted to agriculture in South-East Asia (i.e., Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo) are globally significant and increasing. Here, we map the growth of South-East Asian peatland agriculture and estimate CO2 emissions due to peat drainage in relation to official land-use plans with a focus on the reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+)-related Indonesian moratorium on granting new concession licences for industrial agriculture and logging. We find that, prior to 2010, 35% of South-East Asian peatlands had been converted to agriculture, principally by smallholder farmers (15% of original peat extent) and industrial oil palm plantations (14%). These conversions resulted in 1.46-6.43 GtCO2 of emissions between 1990 and 2010. This legacy of historical clearances on deep-peat areas will contribute 51% (4.43-11.45 GtCO2 ) of projected future peatland CO2 emissions over the period 2010-2130. In Indonesia, which hosts most of the region's peatland and where concession maps are publicly available, 70% of peatland conversion to agriculture occurred outside of known concessions for industrial plantation development, with smallholders accounting for 60% and industrial oil palm accounting for 34%. Of the remaining Indonesian peat swamp forest (PSF), 45% is not protected, and its conversion would amount to CO2 emissions equivalent to 0.7%-2.3% (5.14-14.93 Gt) of global fossil fuel and cement emissions released between 1990 and 2010. Of the peatland extent included in the moratorium, 48% was no longer forested, and of the PSF included, 40%-48% is likely to be affected by drainage impacts from agricultural areas and will emit CO2 over time. We suggest that recent legislation and policy in Indonesia could provide a means of meaningful emission reductions if focused on revised land-use planning, PSF conservation both inside and outside agricultural concessions, and the development of agricultural practices based on rehabilitating peatland hydrological function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lahiru S Wijedasa
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- ConservationLinks, Singapore
- Rimba, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sean Sloan
- College of Science and Engineering, Center for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Susan E Page
- School of Geography, Geology & the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Gopalasamy R Clements
- Rimba, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Massimo Lupascu
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Theodore A Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Iriana W, Tonokura K, Inoue G, Kawasaki M, Kozan O, Fujimoto K, Ohashi M, Morino I, Someya Y, Imasu R, Rahman MA, Gunawan D. Ground-based measurements of column-averaged carbon dioxide molar mixing ratios in a peatland fire-prone area of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8437. [PMID: 29855509 PMCID: PMC5981433 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26477-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical peatlands in Indonesia have been disturbed over decades and are a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere by peat respiration and peatland fire. With a portable solar spectrometer, we have performed measurements of column-averaged CO2 dry-air molar mixing ratios, XCO2, in Palangka Raya, Indonesia, and quantify the emission dynamics of the peatland with use of the data for weather, fire hotspot, ground water table, local airport operation visibility and weather radar images. Total emission of CO2 from surface and underground peat fires as well as from peatland ecosystem is evaluated by day-to-day variability of XCO2. We found that the peatland fire and the net ecosystem CO2 exchange contributed with the same order of magnitude to the CO2 emission during the non-El Niño Southern Oscillation year of July 2014-August 2015.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Windy Iriana
- Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8563, Japan
| | - Kenichi Tonokura
- Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8563, Japan
| | - Gen Inoue
- Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kawasaki
- Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan. .,Center for South East Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan. .,Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, 603-8047, Japan.
| | - Osamu Kozan
- Center for South East Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.,Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, 603-8047, Japan
| | - Kazuki Fujimoto
- Department of Information Science and Biomedical Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-8580, Japan
| | - Masafumi Ohashi
- Department of Information Science and Biomedical Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-8580, Japan
| | - Isamu Morino
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Yu Someya
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8568, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Imasu
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8568, Japan
| | - Muhammad Arif Rahman
- Indonesia Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), Jakarta, 15138, Indonesia
| | - Dodo Gunawan
- Indonesia Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), Jakarta, 15138, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Tropical Peatland Vegetation Structure and Biomass: Optimal Exploitation of Airborne Laser Scanning. REMOTE SENSING 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/rs10050671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
28
|
Khasanah N, van Noordwijk M. Subsidence and carbon dioxide emissions in a smallholder peatland mosaic in Sumatra, Indonesia. MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR GLOBAL CHANGE 2018; 24:147-163. [PMID: 30662320 PMCID: PMC6320748 DOI: 10.1007/s11027-018-9803-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Most attention in quantifying carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from tropical peatlands has been on large-scale plantations (industrial timber, oil palm (Elaeis guinensis)), differing in drainage and land-use practices from those of smallholder farms. We measured subsidence and changes in bulk density and carbon organic content to calculate CO2 emissions over 2.5 years in a remnant logged-over forest and four dominant smallholder land-use types in Tanjung Jabung Barat District, Jambi Province, Sumatra, Indonesia: (1) simple rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) agroforest (> 30 years), (2) mixed coconut (Cocos nucifera) and coffee gardens (Coffea liberica) (> 40 years), (3) mixed betel nut (Areca catechu) and coffee gardens (> 20 years), and (4) oil palm plantation (1 year). We quantified changes in microtopography for each site for greater accuracy of subsidence estimates and tested the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus application. All sites had a fibric type of peat with depths of 50 to > 100 cm. A recently established oil palm had the highest rate of peat subsidence and emission (4.7 cm year-1 or 121 Mg CO2 ha-1 year-1) while the remnant forest had the lowest (1.8 cm year-1 or 40 Mg CO2 ha-1 year-1). Other land-use types subsided by 2-3 cm year-1, emitting 70-85 Mg CO2 ha-1 year-1. Fertilizer application did not have a consistent effect on inferred emissions. Additional emissions in the first years after drainage, despite groundwater tables of 40 cm, were of the order of belowground biomass of peat forest. Despite maintaining higher water tables, smallholder landscapes have CO2 emissions close to, but above, current IPCC defaults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ni’matul Khasanah
- Southeast Asia Regional Programme, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Jl. CIFOR, Situgede, Sindang Barang, Bogor, 16115 Indonesia
- Plant Production Systems, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Meine van Noordwijk
- Southeast Asia Regional Programme, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Jl. CIFOR, Situgede, Sindang Barang, Bogor, 16115 Indonesia
- Plant Production Systems, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Dalu T, Wasserman RJ, Dalu MTB. Agricultural intensification and drought frequency increases may have landscape-level consequences for ephemeral ecosystems. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:983-985. [PMID: 27869348 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ephemeral wetlands in arid regions are often degraded or destroyed through poor land-use practice long before they are ever studied or prioritized for conservation. Climate change will likely also have implications for these ecosystems given forecast changes in rainfall patterns in many arid environments. Here, we present a conceptual diagram showing typical and modified ephemeral wetlands in agricultural landscapes and how modification impacts on species diversity and composition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatenda Dalu
- Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa
| | - Ryan J Wasserman
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa
| | - Mwazvita T B Dalu
- Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|