Peatland Research Articles

Ina

This study is conducted to better understand the potential of purun weaving as a suitable business approach that could support peatland restoration in South Sumatra. It aims to analyze the obstacles of purun weaving and its market potential as green products. This study applies qualitative and quantitative methods, including in-depth interviews and surveys. The in-depth interviews invove local business actors in Pedamaran Sub-district, Ogan Komering Ilir Regency (i.e. harvesters, weavers, and traders) and the policy-makers. Online and intercept surveys are conducted to analyze current condition and market potential of purun handicrafts, especially as the example of green products. Identified challenges include lack of market knowledge and connections, unstable supply of raw materials, lack of financial capitalization, and low product quality. The market potential for green products, however, is highly promising, as more than 80% of respondents are willing to pay a higher price for these products. Gaps between existing production system and market potential could be narrowed down by adjusting policies for existing peat swamp areas, improving access to microfinance, and implementing specific capacity building for the weavers. Moreover, suitable marketing strategies are required to support the business sustainability of purun weaving.

KEANEKARAGAMAN JENIS TUMBUHAN PAKU-PAKUAN (PTERIDOPHYTA) PADA BERBAGAI UMUR LAHAN GAMBUT BEKAS KEBAKARAN DI DESA RASAU JAYA UMUM KABUPATEN KUBU RAYA

The burning activity of peatlands in Kubu Raya Regency could kill various types of vegetation, one of which is ferns (Pteridophyta). Research on the species diversity of ferns needs to be execausted to obtain information or about the composition of the ferns species that present in peat ex-burn peat lands. This research was carried out at various ages sites (1, 2, 3 and 4 years) of ex-burn peat lands in Rasau Jaya Umum Village, Kubu Raya Regency. This study applyed survey metode with double plot technique, Plot laying using a purposive sampling methode, plot size was 5 x 5 m divided into 25 sub-plots of 1 x 1 m size.Three repetations were aplly made on each site. The results showed that on 1 year old ex-burn site were found 4 ferns species, paku ribu ribu (Lygodium microphyllum Cav.R.Br) paku cenceran (Neprolefis falcata Cap. C.Chr) paku lemiding (Stecchlanaena palustris Burm Bedd) and paku resam (Gleichenia linearis Burn Clarke) and 2,3,4, years old ex-burn peatland 3 species of ferns were found, namely paku cenceran (Neprolefis falcata Cap. C.Chr) paku lemiding (Stecchlanaena palustris Burm Bedd) and paku resam (Gleichenia linearis Burn Clarke). From the results of the study concluded that the diversity of species of ferns at various ages (1, 2, 3 and 4 years) of ex-burn peatlands in Rasau Jaya Umum Village, Kubu Raya Regency were not relatively similiar.Keywords: ex-burn peat land, fern, species diversity.

Revisiting cost vector effects in discrete choice experiments

The estimation of marginal utility of income in discrete choice experiments is of crucial importance for the estimation of willingness to pay (WTP) and welfare estimates. Despite this central importance, there are only few investigations into the impact of the design of the cost attribute vector on choices and WTP estimates. We present a conceptual framework that describes why cost vector effects might occur in choice experiments, and investigate cost vector effects empirically drawing on data from a choice experiment in the context of peatland restoration in Scotland. This study employs a split sample approach with three different cost vectors that vary considerably in the cost levels offered to respondents, and investigates differences between treatments with respect to marginal WTP estimates, status quo choice, use of systematic decision strategies and attribute non-attendance. A key finding is that the choice of cost vectors can affect the incidence of decision strategies. After accounting for the differential use of a decision strategy that might not be consistent with random utility modelling, cost vectors that are higher in magnitude result in higher WTP, in line with an anchoring hypothesis. We find weak support that marginal WTP of lower income respondents is affected differently compared to higher income respondents through the use of different cost vectors. Differences in welfare estimates resulting from the use of different cost vectors might change outcomes of cost-benefit analyses. We therefore recommend that researchers include tests of sensitivity of welfare estimates to different cost vectors in their study design.

Rancang Bangun Monitoring Level Muka Air Tanah Di Perkebunan Lahan Gambut Menggunakan SMS Sebagai Pengirim Informasi Data Berbasis Mikrokontroler

The fires of peatlands on oil palm plantations are very vulnerable to occur in the dry season. Fires will arise due to a decrease in the surface of the water resulting in the top layer of peatland becoming dry. Manually monitoring ground level is very difficult. The solution is to make a remote water level monitoring prototype in order to be able to regulate irrigation on peat land and make the system open and close the irrigation door during the dry season and when the rainy season arrives. The design of groundwater level monitoring uses a program installed on the Arduino Uno microcontroller.Water level data is sent by prototype via GSM SIM 800L network, 8 level conditions that have been determined from a depth of 15 cm multiples of five so on to 55 cm. HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor is a detector for water level. Data can be accessed at any time via SMS by sending "Check" to the prototype. The results of the tests performed indicated that the tool can function in accordance with the design and send information as well as receive monitoring orders.

OPTIMALISASI PENGUSAHAAN LAHAN PETANI KELAPA SAWIT SWADAYA DI KABUPATEN TULANG BAWANG PROVINSI LAMPUNG

This research aimed (1) to analyze optimal income obtained by farmers with optimal use of labor and land both in mineral and in peat land, and (2) to identify palm oil marketing channel in Tulang Bawang District. The research was conducted by survey method in Penawar Tama and Gedung Aji Baru Subdistricts of Tulang Bawang District Lampung Province in July 2017. The sampling was done by census to 17 self-help palm oil farmers. Data were analyzed by using linear programming model, land productivity, farm income, and descriptive analysis of marketing channel. The results showed the optimal income that could be achieved in Scenario 1 was Rp32,805,860.00 with optimal labor usage of 120.28 HOK, whereas in Scenario 2 the optimal income that could be achieved was Rp46,976,300.00 with optimal labor usage for 125.2 HOK. There were 2 marketing channels of palm oil established in Kabupaten Tulang Bawang. Channel 1 with 76.47 percent of farmers started from the farmers, distributed to the wholesalers and then to palm oil mill. Channel 2 with 23.3 percent of farmers started from the farmers, distributed to the middlemen, to wholesalers and to palm oil mill. Key words: land optimalization, palm oil, marketing channel

Forest Fire Prevention through Agricultural Innovation in the Ex-Mega Rice Project Area in Central Kalimantan

In 1995, the Government of Indonesia initiated the Central Kalimantan Peatland Development Project – commonly known as the Mega Rice Project - to convert up to one million hectares of peat and lowland swamp to rice cultivation. In order to prepare the land for cultivation the peatland was drained through the construction of thousands of kilometers of canals and forest was cut. The effects were very damaging for the environment as the soils dried and the forests degraded. Agricultural developments were largely unsuccessful in the difficult peat land conditions. Agriculture is traditionally being practiced on the mineral soils along the river. A diversity of food crops, estate crops and livestock is grown and reared in the area. The limited suitability of the peat lands for agriculture often has to do with the acidity of the soils. Much land is only suitable for a limited number of crops. This leads to low agricultural production resulting in poverty among local communities. Fire has traditionally been used for land clearing and is still a common tool for agricultural preparations and land clearing for other purposes. Farmers traditionally monitor fires as they burn to avoid spreading. However, when peat soils are dry and forests are degraded they easily catch on fire. This paper aims to reduce the incidence of forest fires through the introduction of innovative techniques that limit the use of fire in land clearing. These techniques taken from the Climate Smart Agriculture approach will be able to support the local communities to diversify their farming methods and make use of the environmental circumstances in which they live to increase their agricultural production and improve their livelihoods. The result show that land clearing with limited use of fire have positive effects on agricultural production and can reduce the incidence of forest fires.

Facing the peat CO2 threat: digital mapping of Indonesian peatlands\u2014a proposed methodology and its application

PurposeWe conducted this project to develop a feasible method for mapping tropical peat lands of Bengkalis Island—as a test site—in Indonesia.Materials and methodsThe method based on limited availability of field measurements and a wide range of remotely sensed spatial datasets like radar elevation product, MODIS, and Landsat imageries. We applied land use category based sampling to extend existing field data of peat thickness. New peat thickness data was collected by boring and simultaneous electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). Based on remotely sensed and field data sets, peat maps were compiled by simulated spatial annealing. Peat map statistics were derived after 500 runs including mean, median, minimum, maximum, and percentile values.Results and discussionThe resulted maps represent the limiting values of expected peat thickness using 90% confidence level. Results showed that ERT is suitable for determining peat layer thickness. Using independent samples, we found that peat thickness predictions tend to overestimate peat thickness by ca. 2 m in general.ConclusionsAccording to predictions, the peat volume of Bengkalis Island is estimated to be in the range of 3.28–3.58 km3.

The dynamic changes of Barito basin peat land ecosystem in South Borneo, Indonesia

The dynamic changes of aquatic ecosystem have an important role in order to maintain the sustainability of peat land ecosystem. The aquatic ecosystem is the main supply of freshwater in the Barito basin region, contribute to the water quality for consumption and production, habitat for aquaculture. Therefore, the spatial modelling of inundation changes is a pre-requisite for future peat land management. This study employed GIS and Remote Sensing techniques to monitored land cover/land use changes for observed inundation in Barito basin, South Borneo, Indonesia using multispectral satellite data obtained from Landsat at 1994, 1996, 2013 and 2015 respectively. The Barito peat basin areas, based on object dominance, were classified into five cover classes/dry land use compilation namely swamp bushes, open areas, transportation, galam vegetation (Melaleuca sp) and water bodies. The truth value was 88.48% for Overall Accuracy and 0.8 for Kappa which belonged to the substantial category. Land cover/land use resulting from spatial analysis showed a significant increase in water bodies totally 24% from 14% in 1994. Inundations that were close to the Barito river flow had a typical permanent compared to those that were far from the river. Regarding inundations throughout the season contributed to the management and development of the socio-economic area.

Spodoptera litura as a main pest in oil palm peat plantation

Nowadays oil palm plantation is attacked by Spodoptera litura especially in peat land plantation. This research was aimed to find out the types of host plants most preferred by larvae of S. litura. This research was conducted in 2 stages, the 1st stage used Randomized Block Design Factorial consisting of 2 factors, which was the origin of the larvae and the comodity with 16 combinations of treatments, the 2nd stage used Non Factorial Randomized Block Design with 2 treatment combinations, P1: Oil palm + Coconut + Sugar palm + Areca nut + Soybean + Green bean + Peanut+ Mucuna bracteata + 40 S. litura original from Oil palm, and P2: Oil palm + Coconut + Sugar palm + Areca nut + Soybean + Green bean + Peanut + Mucuna bracteata + 40 S. litura original from Soybean. The results showed that the preference of S. litura original from oil palm to the tested plants were Mucuna bracteata, Soybean, Green bean, Peanut, Oil palm, Areca nut, Sugar palm and Coconut. The preference of S. litura original from Soybean to the tested plants were Soybean, Mucuna bracteata, Peanut, Green bean, Oil palm, Areca nut, Coconut and Sugar palm.

Are we restoring functional fens? - The outcomes of restoration projects in fens re-analysed with plant functional traits.

In peatland restoration we often lack an information whether re-established ecosystems are functionally similar to non-degraded ones. We re-analysed the long-term outcomes of restoration on vegetation and plant functional traits in 38 European fens restored by rewetting (18 sites) and topsoil removal (20 sites). We used traits related to nutrient acquisition strategies, competitiveness, seed traits, and used single- and multi-trait metrics. A separate set of vegetation records from near-natural fens with diverse plant communities was used to generate reference values to aid the comparisons. We found that both restoration methods enhanced the similarity of species composition to non-degraded systems but trait analysis revealed differences between the two approaches. Traits linked to nutrient acquisition strategies indicated that topsoil removal was more effective than rewetting. After topsoil removal competitive species in plant communities had decreased, while stress-tolerant species had increased. A substantial reduction in nutrient availability ruled out the effect of initial disturbance. An ability to survive and grow in anoxic conditions was enhanced after restoration, but the reference values were not achieved. Rewetting was more effective than topsoil removal in restricting variation in traits values permitted in re-developing vegetation. We found no indication of a shift towards reference in seed traits, which suggested that dispersal constraint and colonization deficit can be a widespread phenomena. Two functional diversity indices: functional richness and functional dispersion showed response to restoration and shifted values towards reference mires and away from the degraded systems.We concluded that targeting only one type of environmental stressor does not lead to a recovery of fens, as it provides insufficient level of stress to restore a functional ecosystem. In general, restoration efforts do not ensure the re-establishment and long-term persistence of fens. Restoration efforts result in recovery of fen ecosystems, confirmed with our functional trait analysis, although more rigid actions are needed for restoring fully functional mires, by achieving high and constant levels of anoxia and nutrient stresses.

ESTIMASI STOK KARBON PADA VEGETASI HUTAN RAWA GAMBUT DI KAWASAN LINDUNG IUPHHK-HTI PT. MUARA SUNGAI LANDAK KABUPATEN MEMPAWAH PROVINSI KALIMANTAN BARAT

Carbon stock is carbon stored both on the ground and land surface as plant biomass, dead plants (necromas), and in soil as soil organic matters. Change in carbon form becomes the basis for calculating emissions, where most of the carbon (C) elements that broken down into the air are usually bound to O2 and become CO2. Deforestation and degradation are the main threats on forest conservation in Indonesia. Deforestation and forest degradation that occur in Indonesia has led to the development of issues as a significant contributor to carbon emissions. The purpose of this study is to estimate carbon stocks in protected area at PT. Muara Sungai Landak Mempawah Regency, West Kalimantan Province. This study used non-destructive sampling. This method, was done by measuring the diameter of the tree and then using an allometric equation that is suitable for estimating biomass. The making of sample plots in this study is stratified on land cover condition and systematic sampling. The results show that carbon stock for the entire area/cover of the protected area of PT. Muara Sungai Landak is 25.970.08 tons. The highest carbon was in old shrubland cover with total of 15.425.15 tons, followed by young thicket 10.356.46 tons C. The smallest stock was in open peat land of 188.46 tons C. The calculation of vegetation in this study show the old shrub cover is 128.8 tons/ha. Keywords: Allometric Equation, Carbon Stock, Protected Area, Stratified Sampling.

An incubation study of GHG flux responses to a changing water table linked to biochemical parameters across a peatland restoration chronosequence

An incubation study of GHG flux responses to a changing water table linked to biochemical parameters across a peatland restoration chronosequence

Effects of microtopography and water table on Sphagnum palustre L. in subtropical high mountains and implications for peatland restoration

ABSTRACTIntroduction. Human disturbance has recently led to increasingly serious destruction of Sphagnum L. wetlands in subtropical high mountains, resulting in an urgent need for wetland restoration.Methods. Through a field experiment conducted in western Hubei Province, China, the effects of four different microtopographic types [concave surface, convex surface, concave and convex surface (CC surface), and flat surface] and water table depth (0 to −30 cm) on three growth indicators (number of capitula, coverage and biomass) of Sphagnum palustre L. were examined. The objective was to identify the optimal hydrological conditions for S. palustre growth and thus facilitate its rapid recolonisation and restoration of these wetlands.Key results. The results showed that different microtopographic conditions significantly influenced S. palustre growth. Among them, S. palustre in the CC surface showed the worst growth, while no significant differences existed among the other three microtopographic types. Additionally, as the water table increased, the growth of S. palustre increased, but long-term flooding impeded growth. The water table affected S. palustre growth via effects on its tissue water content.Conclusions. Microtopographic reshaping was not essential for the success of S. palustre recolonisation, and microtopography that maintained the water table to within −10 cm of the surface without flooding were best, independent of the microtopographic types. In addition, the growth patterns of S. palustre changed with changes in the environment, which may be related to its long-term adaptation to conditions of a lower water table.

Peat soil as an alternative soil substrate and its effect on balangeran (Shorea belangeran) seedling growth

Todays, substrates used for seedling growth are mostly topsoil. The topsoil will one day be difficult to obtain because of forest degradation. Therefore it is necessary to seek for alternative substrates. One of the alternatives is by utilizing peat land which is still of great potential on the island of Borneo. By mixing peat soil […]

Carbon dioxide sink function in restored milled peatlands – The significance of weather and vegetation

Peat excavation has altered carbon balance in large areas in the Northern Hemisphere and turned peatlands from CO2 sinks to CO2 sources. Peatland restoration aims at mitigating that situation by supporting CO2 uptake in these areas through raising the water table, in this way creating conditions for vegetation development and organic matter accumulation. We analysed the relationships between recovering vegetation and CO2 fluxes on three abandoned peat excavation sites in northern Estonia, which were rewetted and restored using the moss-layer-transfer technique three to ten years before the first measurements. Using chamber measurements, we determined whether these sites were CO2 sinks or sources during two growing seasons in 2015 (drier) and 2016 (wetter). In the drier growing season, all sites were CO2 sources from the peatland to the atmosphere (emissions from 1 to 77 g CO2 m−2), while in the wetter growing season, two sites were CO2 sinks (uptake from 13 to 210 g CO2 m−2). CO2 uptake was higher with higher plant and Eriophorum vaginatum cover, and biomass and cover of Sphagnum. The remotely sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) explained about 25% of variation in Net Ecosystem Exchange; CO2 uptake was higher in plots with higher NDVI values. This provides a potential avenue of investigation of developing remote sensing methods in assessing spatial pattern of CO2 fluxes in restored peatlands. In order to increase CO2 uptake in abandoned milled peatlands, it is essential to raise the water level and thus reduce peat oxidation and create conditions for the development of vegetation similar to pristine peatlands.

Identification and classification of unmapped blanket bogs in the Cordillera Cantábrica, northern Spain

Blanket bogs are rare types of peatland that are recognised internationally for important habitat provision, and nationally and locally as important carbon stores and sinks. These ecosystems enjoy particular attention and protection within the European Union, but gaps highlighted in the Spanish national peatland inventory leave many areas of Spain’s blanket bog habitat unprotected and exposed to anthropogenic pressures such as livestock or wind farm development. This research identifies and offers classification of four currently unmapped areas of blanket bog located in the Cordillera Cantabrica (north Spain) on the administrative boundaries between the regions of Cantabria and Castilla y Leon. Peat depth was surveyed on a 15 m spaced grid at all sites and mesotope units were defined from topography and hydrological flow patterns. Two sloping and two mound blanket bogs were identified containing a range of bog and fen mesotope units. Maximum peat depth at the five sites ranges from 1.78 to 2.82 m covering an area of 43 ha of blanket bog (> 30 cm peat depth). The survey also estimates that more than 300,000 m3 of peat has accumulated across all sites. This study adds significantly to the known global distribution of blanket mire and suggests that an urgent update of national peatland inventories is needed more widely, not least in Spain, to identify currently unmapped areas of blanket bog. The approach used here can be employed wherever blanket mires occur in the world to promote their designation and the preservation of peatland diversity and carbon storage.

A Review on: The Importance, Distribution and Threat of Ethiopian Wetlands

Ethiopia, like as many countries in the world, has immense wetland resources. The wetlands in Ethiopia include many forms such as lakes, swamps, marshy wetlands, peat wetlands, flood plains, high mountain lakes, natural and manmade ponds. These wetlands have been contributing for the well-being of many Ethiopians for generations and still they are contributing and this will continue for years in the future. Wetlands, according to the Ramsar Convention are defined as “areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water as, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish, or salt including areas of marine water, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters”. In Ethiopia there are large areas of wetlands which are distributed in various parts of the country almost all altitudinal ranges from lowland (the Dallol depression) up to top of high mountains. Wetlands are of enormous socioeconomic and environmental values and attract a number of users that get benefited directly or indirectly. They are source of water, food, reed, medicinal plants and other income generating activities for the rural community.Wetlands generally classified into 3 major classes: freshwater, saltwater and manmade wetlands According to the FAO in 1984, two types of wetlands (swamps and marshes) dominate in Ethiopia and some studies show that based on scattered information, wetlands are estimated to cover about 2% of the total land mass of the country. Though wetlands in the country is poorly studied and recorded more than 40 wetlands are identified as important bird areas for the nation, and these sites support some of the endemic bird life and biodiversity of Ethiopia. The main objective of this paper is to discuss the importance, distribution and threats to wetlands of Ethiopia. Keywords: Wetland, Ramsar convention, wetland management, threat DOI : 10.7176/JNSR/9-6-02 Publication date :March 31 st 2019

Sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in a mixed land use catchment (Exe, UK)

Many catchment management schemes in the UK have focussed on peatland restoration to improve ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water quality and biodiversity. The effect of these schemes on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) flux is critical in understanding peatland carbon budgets as well as the implications for drinking water treatment. In many catchments, however, peatland areas are not the only source of DOC, meaning that their significance at the full catchment scale is unclear. In this paper we have evaluated the importance of different land uses as sources of DOC by combining three datasets obtained from the Exe catchment, UK. The first dataset comprises a weekly monitoring record at three sites for six years, the second, a monthly monitoring record of 25 sites in the same catchment for one year, and the third, an assessment of DOC export from litter and soil carbon stocks. Our results suggest that DOC concentration significantly increased from the peaty headwaters to the mixed land-use areas (ANOVA F = 12.52, p < 0.001, df = 2), leading to higher flux estimates at the downstream sites. We present evidence for three possible explanations: firstly, that poor sampling of high flows may lead to underestimation of DOC flux, second, that there are significant sources of DOC besides the peatland headwaters, and finally, that biological- and photo-degradation decreases the influence of upstream DOC sources. Our results provide evidence both for the targeting of catchment management in peatland areas as well as the need to consider DOC from agricultural and forested areas of the catchment.

Ecological aspects and genetic diversity of Shorea balangeran in two forest types of Muara Kendawangan Nature Reserve, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract. Indriani F, Siregar U, Matra DD, Siregar IZ. 2019. Ecological aspects and genetic diversity of Shorea balangeran in two forest types of Muara Kendawang Nature Reserve, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 482-488. Shorea balangeran (balangeran) belongs to the Dipterocarpaceae family that is distributed naturally in Indonesia with a wide range of ecological conditions including peat swamp and heath forests. Good adaptability of S. balangeran remains unknown concerning molecular (genetic) responses that are important to provide scientific knowledge for supporting forest restoration, especially for peatland restoration efforts. The main objective of this research was to analyze the ecological aspects and genetic diversity of S. balangeran in two types of forests, namely: peat forests (wetland) and heath forests (dry land). Field research was conducted in Muara Kendawangan Nature Reserve, West Kalimantan following standard vegetation analysis by establishing purposively sample plots (50 m x 50 m). Genetic diversity was assessed by RAPD analysis using ten random polymorphic primers. Results showed that both in heath and peat forests, S. balangeran was dominant, but only at pole and tree stages indicating that poor regeneration capacity of S. balangeran. This finding also confirmed the critically endangered status of S. balangeran as listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Genetic analysis using RAPD did not show a clustering of S. balangeran between peat forest and heath forest populations, indicating that S. balangeran has good adaptability to grow in both forest types.

EFEKTIFITAS PEMBERIAN KOMPOS TRICHODERMA TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN DAN PRODUKSI RUMPUT BRACHIARIA HUMIDICOLA DI LAHAN GAMBUT

The aims of this study is to determine the effect of giving Trichoderma Compost on the growth and production of Brachiaria humidicola grass on peatlands and to determine the dosage of Trichoderma compost which gives the best results for the growth and production of Brachiaria humidicola grass on peatlands. This research was conducted in Tanjung Taruna Village, Jabiren Raya District, Pulang Pisau Regency, from September to November 2018. This study was designed using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a single treatment of various doses of compost (K), k0 = without compost, k1 = 20 tons ha-1, k2 = 30 tons ha-1 and k3 = 40 tons ha-1. The results of this study showed that giving compost had an effect on the plant height of Brahiaria humidicola grass 6 week after planting and 8 week after planting as well as crop production and 30 ton ha-1 compost giving the best production of Brahiaria humidicola on peat land.