Maswar,
Fahmuddin Agus,
Meine van Noordwijk,
Supiandi Sabiham
Oteng Haridjaja

Introduction
Tropical peat lands conditions
-1985-2000, 20% (1.3% per yr) Indenesian
peat forest convertion
- Concession Areas in Indonesia: Oil palm
(28.009 km2) and HTI (19.923 km2) on
peat lands (27% eachs )
- Hot isue 2006: Indonesian GHG,
No. 3 of global, (2/3 from peat lands)
(Source: Hooijer et al., 2006)

Tropical Peat Lands Problems
• Deforestation/Conversion
• Drainage, (for tree crops)
• Forests Fire

• The carbon losses due to drainage fire
drainage, fire,
fertilization and their combination are
probably a major component in global
GHG emission.
• Robust methods are needed to
opportunities for emission reduction of
peat lands use for tree crops production
system

Global impacts Global Warming & Cli t Ch
Gl b l W i Climate Change
Local impacts
p Subsidence CO2
Compaction C loss Decomposition
Tree Crops
Peat Land:
• Characteristics,
• Drainage: water table
• Management:
(fertilization, biomass)

Objectives
1. To evaluate methods and tools for measurement
carbon content of peat soils.
2. To evaluate C loss in peat lands under several
land use and condition

Reseach Location, in West Aceh, Sumatera
Cot Gajah Mati Village
Simpang Village
Desa Suak Raya Village
Desa Suak Puntong Village
Source: ISRI (2006)

Peat
P t Peat+ash
before after
fire fire
Natural forest
Rubber
R bb
agroforest on
peat with fern
(Nephrolepis)

Triangulation of methods to
estimate C loss
1. Direct flux 2. Subsidence 3. Ash increase
measurement = compaction indicates C-
Snapshot
p + a C-loss loss
Equations
in time that use
Subsidence ash as
is measu
measu-
red with internal
metal rod, marker
anchored
below the
peat; yearly
Scaled up p measure-
to yearly ment
flux

Evaluation Tools for maesurement BD
Box sampler 30 x 30 x 10 cm3
0.35 y = 0.9988x
Box sampler 30 x 30 x 10 cm3 R2 = 0 97
0.97
0.3
03
Auger
BD othe tools (gr cm-3)
0.25 Ring
Auger
0.2
02
(
y = 1.136x
0.15 R2 = 0.48
ers
0.1
Ring
0.05 y = 1.301x
R2 = 0.79
0
0 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.2 0.25
BD with box sampler 50 x 50 x 10 (gr cm-3)
BD representatif = Auger value : 1.136
BD representatif = Ring value : 1.301

Evaluation methods for determination peat
carbon content
60
C-organic with Walkley and
y = 0.5203x x : y = 1.922 ► Konstanta
55 R2 = 0 6185
0.6185
y
Black (%)
50
45
40
35
80 85 90 95 100
Organic matter with LOI method (%)
%C-org = 0.5203 x % OM OM = 1 ~ C-org = 0.5203
%OM (LOI) : %C (Walkley dan Black) ►1 : 0.5203 = 1.922
( ) ( y )
K = 1,922.(New for tropical peat soils) ; 1,724 (General) ; 12% >

Evaluation for Emisi CO2
No significant different between chamber and LOI methods to
estimation CO2 emission
CO2 N Mean Std. Std. Variances T DF Prob>|T|
Deviasi Error
Chb. 41 24,217 22,618 3,532 Unequal -1,423 73,0 0,1588
LOI 35 31,469 21,716 3,671 Equal -1,4190 74,0 0,1601
For H0: Variances are equal, F' = 1,08 DF = (40,34) Prob>F' = 0,8135ns

Carbon loss estimates from forests fire:
• Simpang village:
92.16 ton C ha-1 ~ 338.23 ton CO2 ha-1
• C t G j h M ti village:
Cot Gajah Mati ill
133.38 ton C ha-1 ~ 489.50 ton CO2 ha-1
Simpang
p g Before burning
g
Cot Gajah Mati Before burning

Carbon loss estimates from forest fire with
Loss on
Loss-on Ignition (LOI) methods
BD (gr cm-3) Ash content (%) Ash content (gr cm-3)
Natural Forests Natural Forests Natural Forests
Forests fire Forests fire Forests fire
Simpang Village
0.07 0.15 2.676 8.57 0.0019 0.0118
Cot Gajah Mati Village
j g
0.19 0.278 11.432 19.236 0.0216 0.0543

Estimates of C- loss up to 13 t C ha-1 yr-1 for
y
young oil p
g palm and less than 2 t C ha-1 yr-1 for
y
rubber 15 yr age.
Location/ Peat Tree C loss Equivalent
Village Land use thickness age (t. ha-1 yr-1) CO2
(cm) (yr) emission
(t. ha-1 yr-1)
Cot Gajah Mati
C G Disturb Forests 227 - 3.84
3 84 14.1
14 1
Cot Gajah Mati Oil Palm 227 1 13.1 48.1
Simpang Disturb Forest 1000 - 3.45 12.6
Simpang Rubber 166 15 0.651 2.39
Simpang Bushes I 621 - 8.55 31.4
S pa g
Simpang Bushes II
us es 349 - 89
8.97 3 9
32.9
Suak Puntong Oil Palm I 126 10 10.6 38.9
Suak Puntong Oil Palm II 118 10 11.1 40.6
Suak Raya Rubber 482 15 1.596
1 596 5.82
5 82
Suak Raya Oil Palm I 424 15 6.87 25.2
Suak Raya Oil Palm II 15 15 1.18 4.34

• Water table < 52 cm from soil surface, lowest CO2
emissiom for all land use
• CO2 emission for rubber agroforestry 15 yr age ~
disturb forests
≤ 52 cm 53 - 89 cm ≥ 90 cm
80
missoni (ton ha-1 yr-1)
70
Forest
60
Bushes
50
Rubber
(
40 Oil Palm
30
20
CO2 Em
y = 1,309x – 90,606
10
R2 = 0.6273
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130
0 0 0
Maximum water table (cm)

Maximum d th
M i depth
of water table is
a primary deter-
p y
minant of net
CO2 emissions,
but there is an
apparent ‘time
effect’ as well

1 Bulk density of the peat directly influences
A hydraulic conductivity and water retention curves
50% decrease in
50% d i
hydraulic conductivity
manifold increase in
manifold increase in
water retention

Depth of groundwater table depends
1 on:
B
water level in the drainage canal,
g ,
distance to the nearest drain,
distance between drains
hydraulic conductivity
land subsidence
y = 0 8914x
0.8914x
R² = 0.8909
On the
deepest peat
(> 9 m), the
water can
more easily
reach the
drain  the
Metal rod
inserted into profile of
fil f
mineral soil to ground water
measure table depths is
subsidence more ‘flat’

Fertilization can increase C loss and CO2 emission
of peat, i.e. in fertilization plot CO2 emission 23 - 48
ton C ha-1 yr-1 or 84 – 180 ton CO2 ha-1 yr-1 higher
than no fertilizer plot
Ash content (%) BD (g,cm-3) CO2
Location Land use C-loss Emission
No No
Fertilizer (t ha-1) (t ha-1)
Fertilizer Fertilizer Fertilizer F ili (t. 1 (t. 1
Simpang Forests 5.68 3.77 0.13 0.12 18.1 66.3
Simpang Shrub 7.22 6.13 0.19 0.14 20.1 73.9
Simpang Rubber 8.23 6.06 0.18 0.14 25.1 92.1
Suak Raya Oil Palm I 5.63 3.15 0.17 0.17 32.1 120
Suak Raya Oil Palm II 6.91 4.57 0.22 0.27 15.3 56.2
Average 6.73 a 4.74 b 0.18 a 0.17 a 22.14 81.7
Note: The data shown in the Table, based on 8 month period field experiment

The difference between C accumulation and C loss for rubber
agroforests (>15 year age), and oil palm agroforests (> 15 year
age) on shallow peat indicated have a positive value
Location/ C loss C C difference Land use Plant age
a t
Village (ton ha-1 accumulation (tahun)
th-1) (ton ha-1 th-1) (ton ha-1 th-1)
Cot Gajah Mati 3.84 1.73 -2.11 Forest disturb -
Cot Gajah Mati 13.106 0 -13.11 Oil Palm 1
Simpang 3.446 1.73 -1.72 Forest disturb -
Simpang 0.651 - - Rubber 15
Simpang 8.554 - - Bushes I -
Simpang 8.974 - - Bushes II -
Suak Puntong 10.594 2.13 -8.46 Oil Palm I 10
Suak Puntong 11.074 2.13 -8.94 Oil Palm II 10
Suak Raya 1.586 - - Rubber 15
Suak Raya
y 6.874 1.43 -5.44 Oil Palm I 15
Suak Raya 1.183 1.43 0.25 Oil Palm II 15
Note: (-) no data

Time effect on CO2 emissions: negative feedback
or resource depletion?

Highlights from the research:
• Carbon loss from peat drained affect by drainage age,
and distance from drain (following logarithmic pattern).
• Carbon accumulation from the biomass ’waste’ 7 – 75%
equivalent 32 – 342 gr C per kg biomass.
• F tili ti increase C l
Fertilization i loss i (23 - 49 t C h -1 yr-1
i.e. ton ha 1 1
or 8.02 – 180 ton CO2 ha-1 yr-1 ) higher than no fertilizer
.
• Forests fire was one of the higest carbon emission from
peat drained : 92.16 – 13.,38 ton C ha-1 or 338.23 –
489.50
489 50 ton CO2 ha-1
• CO2 emission from Rubber (traditional management)
similar with disturbed forest.

Suggestion
To reduce C loss on peat lands for tree crops
production systems:
• Water t bl
W t table management, to minimize peat
t t i i i t
decomposition.
• Use plant that can adaptation with peat
condition
• Precise technique (time, methods, types and
dosage) for fertilizer application.
g ) pp
• Fire-free in production (agriculture) systems
• Strive for land surface by minimal weeding
weeding.

Biomass ’waste’ management on peat survace
can accumulate carbon i.e 32 – 342 g of each kg
dry
d weight
i ht
Location Land use Biomass Biomass loss Carbon loss Eqn. CO2
(g kg-1) (g kg-11) (g kg-11)
Simpang Forest disturb Pandan 924.5 440.99 1618.42
Simpang Rubber Lampiding 592.6 272.00 998.25
Melastoma 898.1
898 1 418.51
418 51 1535.95
1535 95
Simpang Bushes Lampiding 618.0 283.66 1041.04
Melastoma 798.5 372.10 1365.61
Cot Gajah Mati Oil Palm Mankire 823.0 384.34 1410.53
Melastoma 931.1 433.89 1592.39
Suak Raya Rubber Rubber 803.5 374.43 1374.16
Lampiding 804.1 369.08 1354.53
Suak Raya Oil Palm Oil Palm 830.7 402.06 1475.56
Melastoma 875.5 407.98 1497.30
Lampiding 254.3 116.72 428.38
Suak Puntong Oil Palm Lampiding 638.0 292.84 1074.73
Oil Palm 768.7 372.05 1365.43
Melastoma 784.1 365.39 1340.98

Biomass ‘waste’ performance after 14
months decomposition on peat surface
layer (From: litter bags experiment)

Simpang Village
U
S
Disturb Forest
37 m
230 m
700
00
• In 1992 242 Ha area logged over
1992,
forest + burned,
Bushes • Fallow until 2006.
• E l 2007 D i constructed
Early 2007, Drain t t d
(4m wide x 3 m deep & 3700 m
g)
long).
• No weeding for rubber (traditional)
plantation
Rubber, 15 yr age

Suak Raya Village
U Road
Oil Palm, 15 yr age Sampling point S
Rubber Oil palm I
± 4m peat ± 4m peat depth
50m
5
depth Oil palm II
140m ± 1.25 m peat
Rubber, 15 yr age depth
• In 1987, Logged over forest Drainage
• Drain (1,5m wide and 1,5m deep), 130m
• Rubber:
R bb no weeding di Drainage
• Oil Palm : every four month
weeding

Suak Puntong Village
U
S
50 m
• In 2008, reconstruction drain: Sampling point
2.5 m wide and 2 m deep p
• Oil palm weeding: every six
month and let it in surface Drain
Road

Cot Gajah Mati Village
± 3 Km
Meulaboh – Calang Road
M
Oil Palm, 1 yr age
Drainage
380 m
L= 3m
g
Disturb Forest
D=1.5m
Sampling Point S • In 2006, drain constructed
Size:3 m wide and 1.5 m deep.
p
Oil Palm • Distance between two drain 380 m.
• In 2007, 500 Ha logged over forests
U + burned
Forest • In 2008, Oil palm planted.