Indications of Compaction in Relation to Subsidence on Peatlands Used for Accacia Crassicarpa Plantation in Indonesia

Authors:
Darmawan, Dwi Putro.Tejo Baskoro and Budi Nugroho

Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Stockholm

Keywords:
compaction, emission, peatlands, subsidence

Documentfile:
Darmawan et al 2012: Indications of Compaction in Relation to Subsidence on Peatlands Used for Accacia Crassicarpa Plantation in

Summary:

Theme IX. Tropical peatlands

SUMMARY

Land subsidence will always take place when peatlands are drained. The subsidence is often used in predicting Carbon emission from the lands. One year subsidence monitoring as well as measurement of bulk density and size fractions of the organic materials was carried out at several sites of peatlands in Sumatra used for Accacia crassicarpa plantation. The subsidence rate during the year was found to be uncertain since the land surfaces were found to alternately rise and down. Peat materials above the water table are dominated by fine fractions that in general corresponded with higher bulk density but the higher bulk density is difficult to be straightforwardly interpreted as an indication of compaction, because it depends on the historical change of the peatlands.