Authors:
Kristell Hergoualc’h, Louis V. Verchot
Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress
Venue:
Stockholm
Keywords:
acacia, ch4, co2, oil-palm
Documentfile:
Hergoualch, Verchot 2012: Carbon Loss Associated With Land-Use Change and Wildfires in Tropical Peat Swamp Forests
Summary:
Theme IX. Tropical peatlands
SUMMARY
We estimated C loss from several land-use change types, including wildfires, in tropical peatlands. For this both ‘stock-difference’ and ‘gain-loss’ approaches were used and combined. Phytomass C loss from peat swamp forest (PSF) conversion to logged forest, fire‐damaged forest, mixed croplands and shrublands, rice fields, oil palm and Acacia plantations were in the range 117- 215 Mg C ha-1. C loss from both vegetation and peat associated with wildfires occurring in virgin PSF amounted to 436 Mg C ha-1. Conversion of PSF to oil palm and Acacia plantations represented a C loss from both biomass and peat over the conversion period (25 and 6 years for oil palm and Acacia plantations, respectively) of 427 and 280 Mg C ha-1. Peat C loss from wildfires or land-use change contributed substantially total C loss, demonstrating the urgent need in terms of global warming to protect tropical PSF.