flooded or waterlog conditions and affects rainfall closure in TPE to mycorrhizal
abundance and their functions under limited conditions (Yamashita et al. 2012).
How does mycorrhizal fungi work to help improve the nutrient uptake that is very
limited, acidic pH, and poor drainage of peatland in submerged conditions? Some
pioneer tree species in TPE have high adaptability, but it should be suspected that
there are some microbe groups that help accelerate the growth of some pioneer tree
species. Once there is a forest fire, it is difficult to find seeds of forest tree species
stocks in natural forests, and bioresource of seeds is important for mass production
of indigenous seedlings species to support restoration processes in TPE.
This paper aims to describe some ideas and investigate the role of mycorrhizal
fungi in the contribution of restoration activities in TPE. Review of the role of
mycorrhizal fungi in local tree species of trees in TPE becomes a basis for consideration for introducing and integrating AeroHydro Culture technology in degraded
TPE. The implementation of AeroHydro Culture is being carried out in Sumatra and
Kalimantan. The important thing to note is that replication of the trial must be carried
out comprehensively. Afterwards, the recommendation of this study could be
implemented if AeroHydro Culture can be applied to restoration activities in TPE
on a large scale.
8.2 Degraded Tropical Peatland Ecosystems
and Restoration
Tropical peatland ecosystems (TPE) have been undergoing a fairly extensive conversion process (Tawaraya and Turjaman 2014). This peatland is used for oil palm
and acacia plantations, especially for Acacia crassicarpa. This activity is very
intensive; they apply high-dose chemical fertilizers, especially in oil palm plantations, resulting in a process of forest degradation and GHG emissions. In the
peatland managed by the community and the peatland that is not managed and not
well controlled by their owners, land and forest fires often occur. Thus, the peat
forest ecosystems are very difficult to maintain carbon deposits (peat accumulation)
in ways that are environmentally friendly.
The disturbed TPE management and its restoration processes are not easy. This
restoration activity requires scientific special skills, carefulness, long-term planning,
and large investment. An important stakeholder in maintaining the sustainability of
peatland restoration is the key participant of forest communities. Biodiversity of
forest trees will parallelly stimulate to increase diversity of underground microbial
communities, including the role of mycorrhizal fungi groups in the forest floor
(Tawaraya and Turjaman 2016). This connectivity reconstructs TPE and makes it
productive again. Forest tree cultivation technology and tree improvement in
advance need to be guided to develop the strategy of restoration in TPE. Inventory
and identification of key microbes play a role in TPE. It should consist of baseline
data for collecting local microbial group origin from TPE. Effective microbial
8 The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi for Supporting AeroHydro Culture in Tropical. . .
287
abundance and their functions under limited conditions (Yamashita et al. 2012).
How does mycorrhizal fungi work to help improve the nutrient uptake that is very
limited, acidic pH, and poor drainage of peatland in submerged conditions? Some
pioneer tree species in TPE have high adaptability, but it should be suspected that
there are some microbe groups that help accelerate the growth of some pioneer tree
species. Once there is a forest fire, it is difficult to find seeds of forest tree species
stocks in natural forests, and bioresource of seeds is important for mass production
of indigenous seedlings species to support restoration processes in TPE.
This paper aims to describe some ideas and investigate the role of mycorrhizal
fungi in the contribution of restoration activities in TPE. Review of the role of
mycorrhizal fungi in local tree species of trees in TPE becomes a basis for consideration for introducing and integrating AeroHydro Culture technology in degraded
TPE. The implementation of AeroHydro Culture is being carried out in Sumatra and
Kalimantan. The important thing to note is that replication of the trial must be carried
out comprehensively. Afterwards, the recommendation of this study could be
implemented if AeroHydro Culture can be applied to restoration activities in TPE
on a large scale.
8.2 Degraded Tropical Peatland Ecosystems
and Restoration
Tropical peatland ecosystems (TPE) have been undergoing a fairly extensive conversion process (Tawaraya and Turjaman 2014). This peatland is used for oil palm
and acacia plantations, especially for Acacia crassicarpa. This activity is very
intensive; they apply high-dose chemical fertilizers, especially in oil palm plantations, resulting in a process of forest degradation and GHG emissions. In the
peatland managed by the community and the peatland that is not managed and not
well controlled by their owners, land and forest fires often occur. Thus, the peat
forest ecosystems are very difficult to maintain carbon deposits (peat accumulation)
in ways that are environmentally friendly.
The disturbed TPE management and its restoration processes are not easy. This
restoration activity requires scientific special skills, carefulness, long-term planning,
and large investment. An important stakeholder in maintaining the sustainability of
peatland restoration is the key participant of forest communities. Biodiversity of
forest trees will parallelly stimulate to increase diversity of underground microbial
communities, including the role of mycorrhizal fungi groups in the forest floor
(Tawaraya and Turjaman 2016). This connectivity reconstructs TPE and makes it
productive again. Forest tree cultivation technology and tree improvement in
advance need to be guided to develop the strategy of restoration in TPE. Inventory
and identification of key microbes play a role in TPE. It should consist of baseline
data for collecting local microbial group origin from TPE. Effective microbial
8 The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi for Supporting AeroHydro Culture in Tropical. . .
287