Abstract
Background and Aims
Tropical peat swamp forests (PSF) are great stores of terrestrial carbon and host unique biodiversity. Despite their importance for carbon accounting, the peat characteristics are sparsely studied, and the effect of microtopography on peat properties has not been reported before.
Methods
We compared PSF peat soil characteristics down to 70 cm under differing microtopographical conditions and hydrology.
Results
Long-term water table level data combined with the data from peat structure and chemistry analyses showed differences in most of the measured properties between hummocks and hollows. Decomposition degree was lowest at hummock and hollow surfaces while bulk density and C content increased towards deeper peat. Ash, P, K, Ca and Mg had highest concentrations on hummock surfaces with declining trend downwards, whereas N had no clear concentration pattern along the elevation gradient.
Conclusions
The microtopographical features may not only differ in regards to the water table-induced oxygen conditions but also due to differences in nutrient dynamics.
Tropical peat swamp forests (PSF) are great stores of terrestrial carbon and host unique biodiversity. Despite their importance for carbon accounting, the peat characteristics are sparsely studied, and the effect of microtopography on peat properties has not been reported before.
Methods
We compared PSF peat soil characteristics down to 70 cm under differing microtopographical conditions and hydrology.
Results
Long-term water table level data combined with the data from peat structure and chemistry analyses showed differences in most of the measured properties between hummocks and hollows. Decomposition degree was lowest at hummock and hollow surfaces while bulk density and C content increased towards deeper peat. Ash, P, K, Ca and Mg had highest concentrations on hummock surfaces with declining trend downwards, whereas N had no clear concentration pattern along the elevation gradient.
Conclusions
The microtopographical features may not only differ in regards to the water table-induced oxygen conditions but also due to differences in nutrient dynamics.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Plant and Soil |
| Volume | 382 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 329-347 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| ISSN | 0032-079X |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Fields of Science
- 4112 Forestry
- 1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology