Recurrent burnt peat: potential positive feedback for peat fires

Authors:
Ahmad Ainuddin Nuruddin, Dayang Nur Sakinah Musa and Luqman Chua

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
ecosystem, peat-swamp-forest, peatfires

Documentfile:
ipc16p390-392a239nuruddinmusa.etal_.pdf

Summary:

SUMMARY

Peat swamp forest is a unique ecosystem with multiple functions such as timber, non-forest products and wildlife. Lately, many studies have shown the importance of peat swamp forest as provider of ecosystem services such as flooding mitigation and carbon storage. However, overexploitation of peat swamp forest has led to forest degradation and occurrences of forest fires. Repeated fires at the burnt peat have led to further deterioration of the peat areas. Hence the need to understand the flammability of the peat and factors which encourage repeated…