PB1: Climate change (red)
PB2: Extinction rate & loss of ecological functions (red)
PB3: Land-use change (yellow)
PB4: Freshwater consumption (red), here including water management and water
cycling
PB5: Biogeochemical flows (nitrogen and phosphorus) (red), here including
chemical fertilizer application
PB6: Ocean acidification (not yet quantified)
PB7: Atmospheric aerosol loading (red), here including haze from peat fire
PB8: Novel entities (not yet quantified).
The red color in parentheses indicates “Beyond the zone of uncertainty (high
risk).”
1.2 The Concept of Tropical Peatland Eco-management
As tropical peatland ecosystems store large amounts of water and carbon, once these
ecosystems are destroyed, their ecological functions are quickly lost. Not only
climate change but also Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF)
have had a great impact on tropical peatland ecosystems; for example, oil palm
planation development by water drainage causes (1) a lower groundwater level,
which accelerates peat degradation by microorganisms and peat fire, (2) biodiversity
loss, which accelerates the loss of ecological functions in tropical peatland, and (3) a
high rate of chemical fertilizer application, which causes higher CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O
emissions than those in other ecosystems.
Figure 1.2 is a summary of our long-term research (more than 20 years) based on
the book “Tropical Peatland Ecosystems” (Osaki and Tsuji 2016). As water issues
are related to carbon issues in peatlands, carbon and water interrelationships have
been studied in the peatlands of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Drainage, deforestation, and climate change have affected water conditions in
peatlands such as land surface moisture and groundwater level. Once the water
conditions are disturbed, carbon emissions are stimulated by oxidation through fire
and microorganism decomposition, called “hot fire” and “cold fire,” respectively.
The changing water conditions indirectly affect biodiversity through extinction by
fire and decreased CO 2 assimilation in forests.
1.3 Tropical Peatland Formation
Peatlands are globally important ecosystems in terms of their hydrology, carbon
cycling, and biodiversity and contribute to climate change mitigation. Peatlands
store approximately one-third of the carbon contained in the terrestrial biosphere
while covering only approximately 3% of the land and freshwater surface (Swindles
1 Basic Information About Tropical Peatland Ecosystems
7
PB2: Extinction rate & loss of ecological functions (red)
PB3: Land-use change (yellow)
PB4: Freshwater consumption (red), here including water management and water
cycling
PB5: Biogeochemical flows (nitrogen and phosphorus) (red), here including
chemical fertilizer application
PB6: Ocean acidification (not yet quantified)
PB7: Atmospheric aerosol loading (red), here including haze from peat fire
PB8: Novel entities (not yet quantified).
The red color in parentheses indicates “Beyond the zone of uncertainty (high
risk).”
1.2 The Concept of Tropical Peatland Eco-management
As tropical peatland ecosystems store large amounts of water and carbon, once these
ecosystems are destroyed, their ecological functions are quickly lost. Not only
climate change but also Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF)
have had a great impact on tropical peatland ecosystems; for example, oil palm
planation development by water drainage causes (1) a lower groundwater level,
which accelerates peat degradation by microorganisms and peat fire, (2) biodiversity
loss, which accelerates the loss of ecological functions in tropical peatland, and (3) a
high rate of chemical fertilizer application, which causes higher CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O
emissions than those in other ecosystems.
Figure 1.2 is a summary of our long-term research (more than 20 years) based on
the book “Tropical Peatland Ecosystems” (Osaki and Tsuji 2016). As water issues
are related to carbon issues in peatlands, carbon and water interrelationships have
been studied in the peatlands of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Drainage, deforestation, and climate change have affected water conditions in
peatlands such as land surface moisture and groundwater level. Once the water
conditions are disturbed, carbon emissions are stimulated by oxidation through fire
and microorganism decomposition, called “hot fire” and “cold fire,” respectively.
The changing water conditions indirectly affect biodiversity through extinction by
fire and decreased CO 2 assimilation in forests.
1.3 Tropical Peatland Formation
Peatlands are globally important ecosystems in terms of their hydrology, carbon
cycling, and biodiversity and contribute to climate change mitigation. Peatlands
store approximately one-third of the carbon contained in the terrestrial biosphere
while covering only approximately 3% of the land and freshwater surface (Swindles
1 Basic Information About Tropical Peatland Ecosystems
7