groups are useful to help early growth of the seedlings in nursery and field, and they
have impact to provide alternative foods and to provide great benefits for the forest
communities.
Reforestation or restoration activities are not just replanting local species that
exist in TPE, because sometimes local tree species planted might not be able to adapt
in disturbed TPE conditions. Basically, the forest tree species require associations
and connections in the rhizosphere, where roots should associate with microbial
symbiosis underground. They need a harmonious life with bacterial, fungal communities, and other microbes that are able to provide a limited supply of nutrients in
the forest floor. Restoration of TPE requires a special technology in stimulating the
role of forest roots such as aerial roots in high GWL and flooded conditions.
8.3 Status of ECM and AM Fungi in Tropical Peatland
Ecosystems
Primary tropical rainforests in the Southeast Asia are usually dominated by
ectomycorrhizal (ECM) trees belonging to dipterocarp family (Brearley 2012)
although arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) trees often outcompete them after disturbances such as opencast mining, illegal logging, disturbed hydrology, carbon loss,
and forest fires, thus fending off Dipterocarpaceae regeneration (Helbert and Nara
2019; Graham et al. 2013). The TPE has high diversity potential, including ECM and
AM fungi which are symbiotic with various species of forest trees, including shrubs
and grasses. Commandini et al. (2012) made a report to estimate the global species
richness, with 7750 species of ECM fungi differ widely, and AM fungi consists of
around 150–200 species (Soka 2018). However, research on the status of mycorrhizal fungi in TPE is still limited. Some early researches, ECM research with main
focus on the species of Dipterocarpaceae family have been conducted by some
researchers in the Southeast Asian Region (Lee 1998). AM fungi research is mostly
carried out on species of agricultural plants, but there are not so many report
researches on TPE. There are some research results that have been reported by
Tawaraya et al. (2003) and Turjaman et al. (2019a), likewise with the status of ECM
and AM fungi in the peat forests of Kalimantan and Sumatra (Table 8.1). Shorea
balangeran, S. uliginosa, and S. tesymanniana have been less natively colonized by
AM fungi, and in reality Shorea genus is very dependent to ECM fungi (Brearley
2012). Other pioneer indigenous tree species were not found to be natively colonized
by AM fungi, for example, Alstonia pneumatophora, Tristaniopsis whiteana, and
Ploiarium alternifolium.
Some research questions that need to be followed up include how to utilize
mycorrhizal fungi to improve seed quality, especially for the restoration activities
of degraded TPE (Turjaman et al. 2019a). The preparation of ECM and AM fungi
inoculant mass production can be done in bulk. However, the problem with the
provision of generative seeds of local peatland forest trees becomes an obstacle,
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M. Turjaman and M. Osaki
have impact to provide alternative foods and to provide great benefits for the forest
communities.
Reforestation or restoration activities are not just replanting local species that
exist in TPE, because sometimes local tree species planted might not be able to adapt
in disturbed TPE conditions. Basically, the forest tree species require associations
and connections in the rhizosphere, where roots should associate with microbial
symbiosis underground. They need a harmonious life with bacterial, fungal communities, and other microbes that are able to provide a limited supply of nutrients in
the forest floor. Restoration of TPE requires a special technology in stimulating the
role of forest roots such as aerial roots in high GWL and flooded conditions.
8.3 Status of ECM and AM Fungi in Tropical Peatland
Ecosystems
Primary tropical rainforests in the Southeast Asia are usually dominated by
ectomycorrhizal (ECM) trees belonging to dipterocarp family (Brearley 2012)
although arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) trees often outcompete them after disturbances such as opencast mining, illegal logging, disturbed hydrology, carbon loss,
and forest fires, thus fending off Dipterocarpaceae regeneration (Helbert and Nara
2019; Graham et al. 2013). The TPE has high diversity potential, including ECM and
AM fungi which are symbiotic with various species of forest trees, including shrubs
and grasses. Commandini et al. (2012) made a report to estimate the global species
richness, with 7750 species of ECM fungi differ widely, and AM fungi consists of
around 150–200 species (Soka 2018). However, research on the status of mycorrhizal fungi in TPE is still limited. Some early researches, ECM research with main
focus on the species of Dipterocarpaceae family have been conducted by some
researchers in the Southeast Asian Region (Lee 1998). AM fungi research is mostly
carried out on species of agricultural plants, but there are not so many report
researches on TPE. There are some research results that have been reported by
Tawaraya et al. (2003) and Turjaman et al. (2019a), likewise with the status of ECM
and AM fungi in the peat forests of Kalimantan and Sumatra (Table 8.1). Shorea
balangeran, S. uliginosa, and S. tesymanniana have been less natively colonized by
AM fungi, and in reality Shorea genus is very dependent to ECM fungi (Brearley
2012). Other pioneer indigenous tree species were not found to be natively colonized
by AM fungi, for example, Alstonia pneumatophora, Tristaniopsis whiteana, and
Ploiarium alternifolium.
Some research questions that need to be followed up include how to utilize
mycorrhizal fungi to improve seed quality, especially for the restoration activities
of degraded TPE (Turjaman et al. 2019a). The preparation of ECM and AM fungi
inoculant mass production can be done in bulk. However, the problem with the
provision of generative seeds of local peatland forest trees becomes an obstacle,
288
M. Turjaman and M. Osaki