fertilizer applications at maturity lasting more than half of the 25-year production
cycle. In a 7-year-old industrial oil palm plantation on a tropical peatland in Sumatra,
Indonesia, CO 2 emissions were quantified after two applications of N fertilizer as
usual. The results showed that the effect of fertilization on CO 2 fluxes was significant
when evaluated at the plantation level (Comeau et al. 2016). The increase in CO 2
flux after fertilization was greater in the drained plots than in the undrained plots,
although this was a short-term result. This may be a result of oil palm roots absorbing
fertilizer in the undrained plots. In contrast, microorganisms in the drained plots may
have used the fertilizer to enhance the mineralization of organic matter in the soil
(Comeau et al. 2016).
There is no consistent trend in the literature for changes in C/N ratios after land
use conversion. Drainage of peatlands and water leaching associated with agricultural use can cause a reduction in the soil N pool and an increase in the C/N ratio with
time (Swails et al. 2017). Mineral fertilization, meanwhile, can cause an increase in
the C/N ratio of peatlands.
Swails et al. (2017) suggest that ultimately, the effects of fire and time after
drainage may have a greater impact on CO 2 emissions from peat soils than fertilizer
application.
The most important key to the successful management of tropical peatlands is the
presence or absence of forests/trees, even forest plantations. Furthermore, in addition
to forests/trees, an equally important component is the cycling and storage of water,
carbon, and nutrients. To conserve and enhance the water-carbon-nutrient functions,
three factors that are closely related, a new tropical peatland management practice is
essential. Although the most critical requirement for conserving peat is permanent
saturation by water (Dommain et al. 2010), current tropical peatland management
has severely destroyed peatlands’ water storage function. Therefore, a new management approach is needed to return the peatlands to their original state with forest. For
this purpose, it is also essential to recognize the interdependence of plants, water,
and peat in peatlands (Dommain et al. 2010).
Therefore, this chapter introduces a new concept on “Eco-management in a largescale tropical peatland ecosystem.” The new management system has been developed with a focus on the following four aspects of (1) water management and land
use planning, (2) biodiversity conservation planning, (3) new technologies to preserve peat, and (4) their evaluation systems (Fig. 2.1). Water management and land
use planning describe management by zoning the peat domes that characterize
peatlands in Indonesia. In addition, the GWL, expected planting species, and land
use for each zone will be presented. Simultaneously, the unique biodiversity seen in
peatlands should be conserved effectively with a landscape approach according to
scientific knowledge. The concept of the “Conservation network” in working with
neighboring stakeholders is one of the solutions for conserving peat ecosystems (see
Chap. 3). As a carbon-negative strategy, innovative land surface management is
proposed, called “AeroHydro Culture” (refer to Chap. 7).
2 Principles of Eco-Management in a Large-Scale Ecosystem of Tropical Peatland
67
cycle. In a 7-year-old industrial oil palm plantation on a tropical peatland in Sumatra,
Indonesia, CO 2 emissions were quantified after two applications of N fertilizer as
usual. The results showed that the effect of fertilization on CO 2 fluxes was significant
when evaluated at the plantation level (Comeau et al. 2016). The increase in CO 2
flux after fertilization was greater in the drained plots than in the undrained plots,
although this was a short-term result. This may be a result of oil palm roots absorbing
fertilizer in the undrained plots. In contrast, microorganisms in the drained plots may
have used the fertilizer to enhance the mineralization of organic matter in the soil
(Comeau et al. 2016).
There is no consistent trend in the literature for changes in C/N ratios after land
use conversion. Drainage of peatlands and water leaching associated with agricultural use can cause a reduction in the soil N pool and an increase in the C/N ratio with
time (Swails et al. 2017). Mineral fertilization, meanwhile, can cause an increase in
the C/N ratio of peatlands.
Swails et al. (2017) suggest that ultimately, the effects of fire and time after
drainage may have a greater impact on CO 2 emissions from peat soils than fertilizer
application.
The most important key to the successful management of tropical peatlands is the
presence or absence of forests/trees, even forest plantations. Furthermore, in addition
to forests/trees, an equally important component is the cycling and storage of water,
carbon, and nutrients. To conserve and enhance the water-carbon-nutrient functions,
three factors that are closely related, a new tropical peatland management practice is
essential. Although the most critical requirement for conserving peat is permanent
saturation by water (Dommain et al. 2010), current tropical peatland management
has severely destroyed peatlands’ water storage function. Therefore, a new management approach is needed to return the peatlands to their original state with forest. For
this purpose, it is also essential to recognize the interdependence of plants, water,
and peat in peatlands (Dommain et al. 2010).
Therefore, this chapter introduces a new concept on “Eco-management in a largescale tropical peatland ecosystem.” The new management system has been developed with a focus on the following four aspects of (1) water management and land
use planning, (2) biodiversity conservation planning, (3) new technologies to preserve peat, and (4) their evaluation systems (Fig. 2.1). Water management and land
use planning describe management by zoning the peat domes that characterize
peatlands in Indonesia. In addition, the GWL, expected planting species, and land
use for each zone will be presented. Simultaneously, the unique biodiversity seen in
peatlands should be conserved effectively with a landscape approach according to
scientific knowledge. The concept of the “Conservation network” in working with
neighboring stakeholders is one of the solutions for conserving peat ecosystems (see
Chap. 3). As a carbon-negative strategy, innovative land surface management is
proposed, called “AeroHydro Culture” (refer to Chap. 7).
2 Principles of Eco-Management in a Large-Scale Ecosystem of Tropical Peatland
67