Tropical Peat-Swamp Forest Biodiversity: Assessment of the Present and Prognosis for the Future

Authors:
Susan E. Page, Mark E. Harrison, Susan M. Cheyne, Nicholas C. Marchant, Nicholas Boyd, Bernat Ripoll Capilla, Marc L. Dragiewicz, Eric D. Perlett and Simon J. Husson

Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Stockholm

Keywords:
tropical-peat-swamp-forest-biodiversity-conservation-monitoring-human-impacts

Documentfile:
Page et al 2012: Tropical Peat-Swamp Forest Biodiversity: Assessment of the Present and Prognosis for the Future

Summary:

Theme IX. Tropical peatlands

SUMMARY

Tropical peat-swamp forests (TPSF) are important biodiversity reservoirs. The biodiversity impacts of forest loss and degradation in these forests are unclear, however, owing to a lack of empirical data. To address this, OuTrop is developing an ecological monitoring programme, which incorporates monitoring of: (i) habitat condition; (ii) trends in target species’ populations; and (iii) rapid-response indicators of forest disturbance. We illustrate this through comparing data from relatively disturbed and undisturbed TPSFs in Indonesian Borneo. This monitoring programme will help understand the biodiversity impacts of human activities, and has relevance for all TPSF projects with biodiversity conservation objectives.