Peat Ecosystems Research Articles

Purun and The Bitter Realities of Women’s Struggle in Peatland Areas

<p>This paper aims to examine the elimination process of traditional conservation that has been built for many years by women on peatlands. This article reveals the struggle and multiple burdens of women in conservation, to do reproductive and productive work in the midst of clashing interests in peatland area. Research conducted shows that there is a shift in the mode of production from subsistence toward exploitative hegemony by capitalistic interests, as a product of modern scientific knowledge. Corporations compete for peatland areas to accumulate endless capital which then threatens the purun and the purun weaving community of women. This has not only led to degradation of the purun ecosystem but also the loss of source of life and cultural identity for the purun weaving community. From an ecofeminist perspective, investment policies and regimes with minimum controls have systematically destroyed peat ecosystems, resulting in economic powerlessness and impoverishment of women.</p><p> </p><p> </p>

Peat lost by fire in Kalampangan area, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Fire is a major threat to the existence of peatlands because once drained, dry peat is flammable. In addition, tropical peat ecosystems, including their flora and fauna, are affected more severely by fire than by illegal logging. Fires in peatlands are mostly caused by human activities, such as opening canals for plantations and agricultural development. The peat soil becomes dry due to the lowering of the groundwater level, therefore it is very easy to burn. We recorded that the peat loss within the area of regrowing forest was reaching 44.2 cm deep on average, 32.1 cm within the opened and 53.9 cm within the degraded forest area. Loss of peat will also cause loss of carbon, about 337.9 tC/ha in the regrowing forest area, 240.0 tC/ha in open area and 382.6 tC/ha in the degraded forest area.

Impact of Land-Use Change on Soil Carbon Dynamics in Tropical Peatland, West Kalimantan- Indonesia

The conversion of tropical peat forest to other land uses can reduce organic carbon (C) and stable C isotope (δ13C) of peat soil. This research aimed at analyzing the soil organic-C and δ13C of peatland with respect to maturity (fibric, hemic and sapric) in five types of peatland use, which included primary peat forest, secondary peat forest, shrubs, oil palm plantations, and cornfield in West Kalimantan. Analysis of peat soil samples includes organic C with Loss in ignition method and δ13C using an isotope ratio mass spectrometry(IRMS) method. Organic-C at fibric was higher than hemic and sapric, respectively (57.2%, 57.0%, 56.4%), meanwhile, organic-C was the highest on primary peat forest, followed by on secondary peat forest, oil palm plantation, cornfield, and shrubs, respectively 57.1%, 57.0%, 56.4%, 56.0%. The cause of increasing and decreasing organic C and δ13C due to land-use change due to changes in vegetation, burning during tillage, and age of organic matter of peat soil. This condition causes the opening of natural peat ecosystems and changes in anaerobic to aerobic conditions.

Community Based Peat Conservation

Manalu A. 2020. Community based peat conservation. Jurnal Lahan Suboptimal: Journal of Suboptimal Lands 9(1): 11-22.Peat forms naturally in swamp areas when dead plants rot and accumulate, which then decompresses and accumulates within hundreds to thousands of years. Peat can store 20 times more carbon than mineral soil. Indonesia's peatlands store about 46 Gt of carbon or around 8-14% of world peat carbon (Maltby and Immirizi, 1993). Peat has an important ecosystem that acts as a protector of the Earth's atmosphere from the greenhouse effect, ecological buffer, saves biodiversity and a place to live for various flora and fauna. Peat have the ability to resemble sponges which make them suitable as water catchment areas. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the importance of protecting and maintaining peatlands as protectors of the Earth's atmosphere, controlling global climate by involving the community. This research was conducted with qualitative descriptive methods taken from various literature and national media. The results showed that land degradation has occurred due to the extensive conversion of peatlands into plantations which in the process of causing environmental damage and peat ecosystems in various regions of Indonesia. For this reason, community-based peat conservation needs to be done so that sustainability is maintained and the community gets economic benefits from peatlands.

Microbial nitrogen fixation and methane oxidation are strongly enhanced by light in Sphagnum mosses

Peatlands have acted as C-sinks for millennia, storing large amounts of carbon, of which a significant amount is yearly released as methane (CH4). Sphagnum mosses are a key genus in many peat ecosystems and these mosses live in close association with methane-oxidizing and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. To disentangle mechanisms which may control Sphagnum-associated methane-oxidation and nitrogen-fixation, we applied four treatments to Sphagnum mosses from a pristine peatland in Finland: nitrogen fertilization, phosphorus fertilization, CH4 addition and light. N and P fertilization resulted in nutrient accumulation in the moss tissue, but did not increase Sphagnum growth. While net CO2 fixation rates remained unaffected in the N and P treatment, net CH4 emissions decreased because of enhanced CH4 oxidation. CH4 addition did not affect Sphagnum performance in the present set-up. Light, however, clearly stimulated the activity of associated nitrogen-fixing and methane-oxidizing microorganisms, increasing N2 fixation rates threefold and CH4 oxidation rates fivefold. This underlines the strong connection between Sphagnum and associated N2 fixation and CH4 oxidation. It furthermore indicates that phototrophy is a strong control of microbial activity, which can be directly or indirectly.

Replanting Model of Palm Oil with Paludiculture System on Peatland in South Kalimantan (Soil Physical Characteristics and Optimize Analysis)

Efforts to accelerate the development of smallholder plantations in the plantation revitalization program are carried out through expansion, rejuvenation and rehabilitation of estate crops. however, the problem faced by farmers today is the fear of farmers losing their livelihoods if their oil palms are rejuvenated. On the other hand, peat ecosystem is an ecosystem that is very important role in maintaining environmental sustainability, especially related to the issue of global warming. one way that can be taken to prevent widespread damage on peatlands and to prevent future loss of community livelihoods by applying paludiculture planted on peatlands. the paludikulture model is a multiple cropping system in peatlands that can be adopted in oil palm areas. The results showed that the status of soil fertility in the area of oil palm rejuvenation has a relatively better soil fertility status when compared to mineral material, which has a range of status from low to moderate. Whereas mineral soil material has a low soil fertility status. This is concluded, although the cation exchange capacity of this soil sample is classified as high, but the cause of the low soil is the P-total, K-total and C-organic content is classified as very low to low. The results of the analysis of farmer optimization show that the optimal cropping pattern of vegetable farmers is commodity long beans + cucumbers. With farm income at optimal conditions is Rp 4,289,944 per year or Rp 18,619,548 per hectare per year.

Agroforestri Lahan Gambut Tanpa Bakar

Peatland agroforestry management that is commonly carried out by the community is the burnt peel system. Where peat is peeled and burned, it is then used as a planting medium. Over time, this system will reduce the land surface. But there is a different system. Through the method without combustion by adding organic material above the soil surface. So as the land surface does not decrease, it will even increase in height. This study aims to (1) determine the ecological value of land with a peel-burn system and the addition of minerals without fuel, (2) determine the effectiveness of the peatland management system. The variables observed / measured in this study were (1) the content of macro nutrients (N, P, K) from the system pattern of management of firewood peel and the management system of mineral soil addition. (2) Agroforestry patterns implemented by farmers at the study site. The results showed that the method of agroforestry without burning provides more nutrients than peeled fuel. Increased soil pH is also higher than burnt peel. This method is more environmentally friendly because the peat ecosystem is maintained and the most important thing is the height of the land surface continues to increase during the exploitation time.

Regenerative succession of Azorean peatlands after grazing: vegetation path to self-recovery

The study central goal was to analyze secondary succession in a degraded peatland: (1) Sphagnum distribution trends and (2) successional patterns. Main study sites were adjacent abandoned pastures, where grazing was carried out in former peatland and where degradation had occurred, hereafter referred as degraded peatland. (1) Degraded peatland was mapped in 2006 (while it was still a pasture, grazed for over 30 years), and throughout the study period in 2013 (2 years post-abandonment) and 2015 (4 years post-abandonment). The baseline assessment of 2006 revealed that Sphagnum spp. were present in 7% of the area, which pointed at the resilience of the peat ecosystem. After the grazing ceased, Sphagnum cover increased to 17% and 39%, in the next 2 and 4 years respectively post animal removal. (2) To gain a general comprehension of flora and vegetation changes along the regenerative sucession, 48 permanent plots were established in the degraded peatland. In two other study sites, a further twenty plots were established, ten plots in a semi-natural peatland area where grazing ceased 30 years ago and ten others in a natural peatland. These were monitored between July 2012 and July 2015 (triannual). After 4 years, the formerly degraded peatland showed considerable recovery with a growth of Sphagnum spp. cover as well as other species like Calluna vulgaris, tending to become more similar to semi-natural and natural peatlands. Grazing cessation induced the regenerative succession that could lead to self-recovery, which, in optimal conditions, could be an alternative to active restoration in Azores.

When Wetlands Dry: Feminist Political Ecology Study on Peat Ecosystem Degradation in South and Central Kalimantan

<p>Indonesia tropical peatlands area is 47 percent of out of the total global peatlands. But unfortunately, sustainable peatland governance has not been widely applied in the management of peatlands, instead of being home to biodiversity, peatlands in Indonesia have ended up dry, burning and turned into monoculture plantations. The problem of peat ecosystem degradation is the result of unsustainable - historical environmental governance politics. This study shows the political complexity of peatland governance and its impact on women with a feminist political ecology lens. This research was conducted in several villages in Central and South Kalimantan, the largest tropical peat areas in Indonesia. This study found that 1) Rural women were realized that there are problems with peatland governance, both practically and politically; 2) women and girls have multiple impacts from peat ecosystem degradation ie, women are deprived of living space, women find it difficult to get water and food sources, women take over the role of the head of the family because men migrate but are not always recognized as the head of the family, and women are impoverished because they lose their independence and must work as oil palm workers. This study uses a feminist political ecology study as an analytical tool to see the multi-layered oppression experienced by rural women due to peat ecosystem degradation.</p>

How do land use practices affect methane emissions from tropical peat ecosystems?

Wetlands in Southeast Asia are thought to be one of the greatest sources of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. Tropical peatlands are typical in Southeast Asia, and store an enormous amount of soil organic carbon. However, chamber studies of soil CH4 flux have reported that CH4 emissions from tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia are almost negligible. Recently, it was reported that some tree species growing in peat swamp forests emit considerable CH4 from their stems. Thus, ecosystem-scale flux measurement is essential to quantify the CH4 balance of tropical peat ecosystems. In this 3-year study (February 2014 to January 2017), using the eddy covariance technique, we measured the net ecosystem exchange of CH4 (FCH4) above three different tropical peat ecosystems in Sarawak, Malaysia. The three sites were an undrained peat swamp forest (UF), a relatively disturbed secondary peat swamp forest (DF) and an oil palm plantation (OP). The weekly mean FCH4 was positively correlated to the groundwater level (GWL) in the UF and DF. In contrast, the FCH4 was independent of GWL in the OP, in which GWL was lowered by drainage. The monthly mean FCH4 was always positive, even in the drained OP. Mean annual CH4 emissions (± 1 SD) were 8.46 ± 0.51, 4.17 ± 0.69, and 2.19 ± 0.21 g C m–2 year–1 in the UF, DF, and OP, respectively. The inter-site differences in emissions were explained by a significant positive exponential relationship (P < 0.001) with the GWL. This relationship indicates that the conversion of a peat swamp forest to an oil palm plantation decreases CH4 emissions, because the land conversion is accompanied by drainage. The OP, which was drained to –62 cm on average, still functioned as a small CH4 source, probably because of the high CH4 emissions from ditches.

PERFORMA PRODUKSI KEBUN KELAPA SAWIT RAKYAT PADA DATARAN TINGGI

The limitation of mineral land as a productive land makes some people expand oil palm cultivation to peat land in marginal class conditions (Class S3). The expansion of oil palm plantations into peatlands is accompanied by Government Regulation No. 57 of 2016 concerning Protection and Management of Peat Ecosystems. The regulation has a positive effect to protect and restore the hydrological function of peat, but also affects the management of oil palm cultivation. The limitation of peatlands also makes some people switch to using the highlands as a form of agricultural and plantation extensification. Planting oil palms in the highlands is a form of expansion of oil palm cultivation that is limited due to lack of sufficient land availability. It is necessary to carry out technical culture and cost requirements that are "more" in order to obtain the same production resembling the treatment of oil palm technical culture in very suitable class land conditions (Class S1). Some state-owned companies have planted oil palms in the highlands. Some state-owned plantation sites have even been converted to oil palm from other plantation crops. This will certainly be very different if done by farmers (smallholders) who are in the highlands. Farmers' knowledge of technical culture and the high amount of funds that will be used to cultivate oil palms are an inhibiting factor other than marginal land class.

Comparative Study of Methods to Estimate Historical Peat Burnt Area in Gaung – Batang Tuaka River of Peat Hydrological Unit (KHG)

As a country with 14.9 ha of peatland, Indonesia is a major contributor of GHG emissions, especially from peat ecosystems. These emissions were caused by peat decomposition and peat fires. However, accurate estimation of peat burnt area was still a barrier that prevented the inclusion of peat fire emission in the document of Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL) as a followup document to REDD+ activities. This research has the objective to analyse two different approaches to estimate peat burnt area used in the FREL document and the most recent semi-automatic approach suggested by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF). The study focused on the Gaung – Batang Tuaka River Peat Hydrological Unit (KHG), as one of the KHG priorities in Indonesia. The results showed that the average total annual burnt area from the FREL approach was 58% higher than that of the semi-automatic approach, which could lead to an overestimate of peat fire emissions from this approach. The burnt area identified in this study was found to occur within the production forest area. As stepwise approach is allowed for FREL submission, improvements to a higher precision method are necessary to increase the accuracy of burnt area estimation.

Effectiveness Of Peatland Restoration Implementation In Riau Province

The peat phenomenon that occurs in Riau Province negatively impacts the environmental conditions resulting from the management and utilization of peat ecosystem areas that are out of control and irresponsible. For example, forest fires and land that occurred have an impact of smoke haze that hit Riau and Sumatra region. This study aims to analyze the Effectiveness of Peat Restoration in Riau Province. This research is done by using qualitative method. The peatland restoration program that has been established in several districts in Riau Province is also influenced by several factors that influence the implementation process, including the following: (1) Conceptualization of Peatland Restoration Program. Since the restoration program has been rolled out, there are still many parties who do not understand what peatland restoration is. This caused inequality in the implementation of the restoration program. So far, the community considers restoration of peatlands to the extent of government tasks, and for local governments the restoration program is only a pilot project of the central government. In fact, it is wrong, therefore the conceptualization of this restoration must be clear and submitted continuously to the government apparatus, stakeholders and the community. (2) Implementing Institutional Preparedness The readiness of the implementing agency in this case is whether the institutions involved in this peat land restoration program are ready to implement with all the preparations in the form of activity designs, socialization to be performed, supporting funding, and how to respond to society. (3) The Encouragement of Good Local and Formal Figures at Provincial, District, District and Village Levels. In implementing peatland restoration programs, encouragement or support of parties other than those of the relevant official are indispensable, both formal and informal. The conclusions of this study indicate that overall government efforts to implement peat restoration have not been too effective. Some districts have successfully restored their peatlands but in some districts peat restoration has not been an important agenda in the formulation and implementation of policies in the district

Pola Tutupan, Penggunaan, Serta Tantangan Kebijakan Perlindungan Ekosistem Gambut di Kabupaten Bengkalis

Since the issuance of Government Rule No. 71/2014 jo. No. 57/2016, there has been a wide debate, because those rules may trigger other problems such as food security, social, economic, political, as well as peatland cultivation security. Considering this issue, this study aims to analyze challenges in implementing peat protection policies as textually arranged in Government Rule No. 71/2014 jo. No. 57/2016, in Bengkalis Regency. Overall, in order to discuss both of rule in form and rule in use aspects, this study was conducted using maps overlay technique and content analysis on Government Rule No. 71/2014 jo. No. 57/2016. Based on those approaches, this study shows that there are four challanges in implementing previously mentioned peat ecosystem protectetion policies in Bengkalis Regency, particularly in regard to the measurement of damaged peatland criteria, frictions between protection incentives and pressure on peatland conversion, significant economic contraction, up to the emergence of new open access areas that often be illegally occupied and worsening peatland existing conditions. This finding implies that the government as the regulator in the implementation of peat ecosystem protection policies should open a wider room for policy improvements, in order provide a more balanced consideration to three important aspects of sustainable development, which is not only limited to environmental sustainability, but also covering both of social and economic sustainability.

Biodiversity of fish species of Arut-Kumai Peat Waters, West Kotawaringin District, Central Kalimantan

The peat waters area such as swamps, lakes and rivers, are essential habitat for many fish which consumed by Arut-Kumai residents who live in the city of Pangkalan Bun. Fish species diversity and its potential are not yet widely known, therefore it needs to be revealed. The research aims to reveal fish biodiversity and its potential in the peat waters of the Arut Lamandau-Kumai River Basin, west Kotawaringin Regency. The study was conducted in October-December 2017. Fish samples were captured by using cast net, gill nets, hooks and rods, fish traps. During the study period, a number of 95 fish species belonging to 50 genera, 23 families dan 6 orders were collected. The most common family was Cyprinidae, followed by Siluridae, Osphronemidae, Chanidae dan Bagridae. Dominant genera were Osteochilus and Rasbora, Kyrptopterus, Betta Channa. As many as 70 species as consumption fish, 53 species as ornamental fish, while 56 species have the potential as aquaculture fish. The fish habitat in the Arut-Lamandau river is a peat area that stretches in the buffer zone of the eastern part of the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, that has been transformed into an oil palm plantation. In addition, logging activity is occurred mainly in peat ecosystem areas in production forest areas. These activities are thought to cause a reduction fish population in Arut-Kumai peat waters.

Development Paludiculture on Tropical Peatland for Productive and Sustainable Ecosystem in Riau

There are 2 million hectares of tropical peatland that are critical and must be restored by the Indonesian Government to reduce the greenhouse effect until 2020. The clear-cutting of peat swamp forests has changed from natural ecosystems into degraded ecosystems. When peat was dried for monoculture, it will stimulate forest fires. Peatland forest fire in 2015, caused Indonesia as one of the largest CO2 emitters in the world. The magnitude of the increase in CO2 emissions due to land use change caused peatland degradation. Paludiculture is an alternative technique for managing productive peatlands for food crops while maintaining ecological functions. Rewetting in peatland could reduce the emission of carbon, while food crops increase the quality and quantity of biomass. The plasticulture system can produce biomass on wet peatland conditions, maintain the sustainability of ecosystem services and can increase carbon accumulation. The principle in paludiculture is to restore the sustainability of the peat ecosystem while still paying attention to economic interests. Development of paludiculture of peat swamps land in Kepulauan Meranti Riau is very suitable to be implemented because could support their function of the hydrological buffer in natural peat swamp forest and source of food.

Assessing the impact of peat erosion on growing season CO2 fluxes by comparing erosional peat pans and surrounding vegetated haggs

Peatlands are recognised as an important but vulnerable ecological resource. Understanding the effects of existing damage, in this case erosion, enables more informed land management decisions to be made. Over the growing seasons of 2013 and 2014 photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration were measured using closed chamber techniques within vegetated haggs and erosional peat pans in Dartmoor National Park, southwest England. Below-ground total and heterotrophic respiration were measured and autotrophic respiration estimated from the vegetated haggs. The mean water table was significantly higher in the peat pans than in the vegetated haggs; because of this, and the switching from submerged to dry peat, there were differences in vegetation composition, photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration. In the peat pans photosynthetic CO2 uptake and ecosystem respiration were greater than in the vegetated haggs and strongly dependent on the depth to water table (r2 > 0.78, p < 0.001). Whilst in the vegetated haggs, photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration had the strongest relationships with normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) (r2 = 0.82, p < 0.001) and soil temperature at 15 cm depth (r2 = 0.77, p = 0.001). Autotrophic and total below-ground respiration in the vegetated haggs varied with soil temperature; heterotrophic respiration increased as water tables fell. An empirically derived net ecosystem model estimated that over the two growing seasons both the vegetated haggs (29 and 20 gC m−2; 95% confidence intervals of − 570 to 762 and − 873 to 1105 gC m−2) and the peat pans (7 and 8 gC m−2; 95% confidence intervals of − 147 to 465 and − 136 to 436 gC m−2) were most likely net CO2 sources. This study suggests that not only the visibly degraded bare peat pans but also the surrounding vegetated haggs are losing carbon to the atmosphere, particularly during warmer and drier conditions, highlighting a need for ecohydrological restoration.

Water management system of peatlands for palawija plants on KHG Pulang Pisau, Central of Kalimantan

Kesatuan Hidrologis Gambut (KHG) or Peat Hydrological Unit is a land which consist of incomplete soil decomposition of aquatic vegetation that is inundated with anaerobic conditions. Peatlands in Indonesia have common problem, which is adequacy of water availability (water balance) throughout the year and fire risk. This condition makes the holding of studies to ensure this. In this research, study uses secondary data of Peatlands, Pulang Pisau regency, Central of Kalimantan. This research will be modeling groundwater level using unconfined steady aquifer with finite difference method by Qgis Freewat. Then, if possible, the model will be calibrated by direct sampling at some point in the field, so the next will be modeling by comparison results of water level model with water level existing that up to 40 cm in accordance with Government Regulation no. 57 of 2016 on amendment to Government Regulation No. 71 of 2014 on the Protection and Management of Peat Ecosystems. From this research is expected to give some of benefits as follow: 1). Estimating water balance for Palawija Plants in KHG Pulang Pisau, 2). Modeling groundwater level for canal as one of the optimal water management efforts so that peatlands are not too dry and not too wet, so the risk of forest fires can be minimized.

Analisis Kebijakan Pengelolaan dan Budidaya Ekosistem Gambut di Indonesia: Penerapan Pendekatan Advocacy Coalition Framework

Indonesia has a peat area of around 14.91 million hectares and has become the fourth largest owner of peat reserves in the world after Canada, Russia and the United States. Peatlands play a major role as carbon sinks and maintain a hydrological system. The destructive and oxidized characteristics of peat make the International and Indonesian Governments pay high attention to the management and protection of peat ecosystems. Through the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) approach, this study found that there are a variety of actors and stakeholders who influence the dynamics of peat management and cultivation policy formulation in Indonesia. The actors and stakeholders formed a coalition by carrying out the logic of their respective belief systems, namely: Coalition A which has a belief system that peat land is a potential resource developed for cultivation and Coalition B which has a belief system that views peat ecosystems as vulnerable ecosystems that must be protected and rehabilitated. The results of this study are expected to be able to provide recommendations needed in realizing sustainable management of peat ecosystems.

KEDALAMAN GAMBUT TERHADAP ZONASI PERENCANAAN PEMBANGUNAN INFRASTRUKTUR DI KEBUN RAYA SRIWIJAYA

Pembangunan infrastruktur diperlukan untuk peningkatan kesejahteraan masyarakat dan konservasi ekosistem gambut harus tetap dijalankan. Tujuan penelitian yaitu mengkaji karakteristik lahan gambut dalam pelaksanaan pembangunan di Kebun Raya Sriwijaya. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan metode kualitatif. Hasil dari penelitian ini diperoleh data bahwa pembangunan infrastruktur di lokasi Kebun Raya Sriwijaya akan menempati titik gambut dengan kedalaman 425–550 cm, dan pada posisi elevasi 15–22. Zona C2 merupakan zona pembangunan laboratorium, herbarium, bank biji dan farmakologi, berada pada lahan dengan kedalaman tertinggi yaitu ±545 cm sedangkan pada zona E2 untuk pembangunan paranet berlokasi pada lahan gambut dengan kedalaman gambut terendah yaitu ±350 cm. Pembangunan pada Perpustakaan (Zona C2), Cafetaria (Zona G), dan Sarana Rekreasi (Zona H) pada elevasi tertinggi yaitu 20 hingga 22 cm. Sedangkan pada Zona B2, Rumah Dinas dan Mess Karyawan terletak pada elevasi terendah yaitu 15- 16 cm.