Evaluation of change in the peat soil properties affected by different fire severities

Abstract

Tropical peatland ecosystems of Indonesia provide direct economic bene ts to the local communities and act to maintain the local weather patterns. The impact of burning tropical peat swamp forests of land clearing for palm oil plantations can have signi cant consequences on the change in the characteristics of peat soil. The aim of this study was to determine the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the peat soils by the eld and laboratory testing and analysis for understanding a change in the nature and characteristics of the peatlands at four locations in the Pelalawan regency of Riau province. The results showed that the effect of burning peat swamp forests can lead to a change in the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the peat soils. Soil permeability and soil microbial population can signi cantly decrease with increasing of the re severity. The effect of different re severities on the characteristics of peat soil are veri ed to contribute to advanced management of the tropical peatland in the future.

Post Peat Fire Soil Natural Recovery Based on Physical Properties in South Kalimantan, Indonesia

“…Study by [15] observed the effect of a peat fire in 2019 in South Sumatra display that the ash content increased 57% and also improved the soil pH [16]. Moreover, other study showed that peat fires decrease water retention capacity by 1 -12% [17]. Peatland fires that particularly affecting soil characteristics occur yearly in the South Kalimantan Province Indonesia.…”