High heterotrophic CO2 emissions from a Malaysian oil palm plantation during dry-season

Matysek, Magdalena; Evers, Stephanie; Samuel, Marshall Kana; Sjögersten, Sofie

doi:10.1007/s11273-017-9583-6

Cited by 42 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The autotrophic contribution from a dense secondary peat forest was observed to be >50% of the total CO2 emissions (Murdiyarso et al, 2017), but the autotrophic component was almost non-existent at a cleared site and about half of the sampling points in other agricultural sites were away from vegetation. Therefore, it is highly likely that heterotrophic contribution from the forest is about 50% of the total emission while for 1 st generation oil palm it is >70% and for all the 2 nd generation plantations it is >80% of their respective total emissions, owing to the age of the oil palm in each plantations (Dariah et al, 2014;Comeau et al, 2016;Hergoualc'h et al, 2017;Matysek et al, 2017;Murdiyarso et al, 2017). Considering this, C loss through CO2 emissions were in the similar range (ca.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Environmental impacts as affected by different oil palm cropping systems in tropical peatlands

Dhandapani

Ritz

Evers

et al. 2019

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tropical peatlands are globally important for their high carbon storage and unique biodiversity, but are currently under severe threat in South East Asia from expansion of oil palm plantations. A large part of this expansion in Peninsular Malaysia arises from smallholder oil palm plantations that follow varied cropping practices, yet their impact on the environment is largely unexplored. This research aimed to study and evaluate the environmental and belowground microbial impacts of different smallholder cropping systems relative to forested peatlands in North Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Specifically, GHG measurements using closed chambers, and peat sampling were carried out in both wet and dry seasons. Microbial phenotypic community structure was determined using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Relative to forested peatlands, the agricultural plantations had increased pH, temperature and bulk density, decreased organic content, and peat moisture, with a pineapple intercropping site as the only exception. These effects were most pronounced in 2 nd generation mono-cropping systems. Soil microbial community structure, dominated by Gram-positive bacteria under all land-use types, differed significantly between agricultural sites and forest, and also showed significant seasonal variation. There was a general increase in non-specific fatty acids and a decrease in Gram-positive fatty acids in agricultural sites from forest, however microbial community structure were similar in most agricultural sites. CO2 emissions were greatest at the forest site and showed no seasonal variations, however most of the forest CO2 emissions were most likely due to high autotrophic contribution from roots. CH4 emissions were under 1 mg m-2 hr-1 for all the agricultural sites, while forest peat surface absorbed similar low quantity of CH4. Overall, the changes in peat properties and loss of C was greatest in the 2 nd generation mono-cropping, while the intercropping systems ameliorated these effects by maintaining most of the forest peat organic content and causing relatively smaller changes in pH, moisture and bulk density. It is clear that oil palm intercropping have an ameliorating effect on environmental impacts caused by the expansion of oil palm plantations into peatlands.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Environmental impacts as affected by different oil palm cropping systems in tropical peatlands

Dhandapani

Ritz

Evers

et al. 2019

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In Riau province, the CO2 emission was reported higher at 66 ± 25 ton CO2 ha -1 year -1 (Husnain et al 2014). While in Malaysia, CO2 emission from oil palm plantation was ranging 22.1-117.5 ton CO2 ha -1 year -1 (Melling et al 2013;Ishikura et al 2018;Matysek et al 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Several studies exhibited the effect of oil palm age on CO2 flux. Matysek et al (2018) found that the average soil respiration of year 2000 established oil palm plantation was 1.341 gCO2 m -2 hr -1 which is higher compared to soil respiration of oil plantation that was established in the year 1978 and replanted in the year 2006 (0.988 gCO2 m -2 hr -1 ) and they argued the decline of soil organic carbon at the second generation of plantation might be responsible for the difference.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

CO2 fluxes from drained tropical peatland used for oil palm plantation in relation to peat characteristics and crop age after planting

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Large expansion of oil palm plantation on peatland has changed its important role for carbon sink into a carbon source. Conversion of peat swamp forest with high carbon density into a monoculture of oil palm has released the significant amount of carbon into atmosphere either carbon previously stored in forest biomass or carbon stored in peat organic matter. Drainage canal to artificially lower groundwater level as a prerequisite of oil palm cultivation provides the favorable condition for soil microbes activities in decomposing peat organic matter resulted in CO2 flux increase. The fluctuation of groundwater level and variation of environmental factors near the peat surface may regulate the rate of CO2 released from the soil. We aimed to measure CO2 fluxes from two sites of oil palm plantation with different peat characteristics and analyzed the correlation with groundwater level, soil temperature, air temperature, gravimetric water content, peat pH, oxidative reductive potential, and crop age. The measurement has been conducted from September 2016 to April 2017 in West Kalimantan, Indonesia by using portable infrared gas analyzer EGM 4. In addition to soil sampling at the same time as the gas measurement, we collected soil samples for some peat characteristics analysis consist of bulk density, particle density, porosity, soil organic matter, ash content, carbon, and nitrogen content prior to CO2 flux measurement. Our result shows that the difference of peat chemical characteristics between two sites has resulted in different CO2 flux. Oil palm ages seemed to affect CO2 flux by regulating microclimatic condition around crop canopy. Another finding is the insignificant relationship between CO2 fluxes and groundwater level unless the groundwater level reached more than 50 cm from the peat surface. It implies that maintaining groundwater level-up to 50 cm resulting in similar CO2 flux.

show abstract

“…Previous research on the effects of peat swamp forest disturbance has predominately focused on direct atmospheric GHG emissions from the peat surface (Couwenberg et al, 2010;Hooijer et al, 2010;Page et al, 2011;Hirano et al, 2012;Matysek et al, 2017). Until fairly recently, fluvial carbon losses received less attention, but more recent data suggest that this flux can represent a substantial fraction of the tropical peatland carbon balance (Moore et al, 2013;Evans et al, 2014;Rixen et al, 2016;Yupi et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluvial organic carbon fluxes from oil palm plantations on tropical peatland

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Intact tropical peatlands are dense long-term stores of carbon. However, the future security of these ecosystems is at risk from land conversion and extensive peatland drainage. This can enhance peat oxidation and convert long-term carbon sinks into significant carbon sources. In Southeast Asia, the largest land use on peatland is for oil palm plantation agriculture. Here, we present the first annual estimate of exported fluvial organic carbon in the drainage waters of four peatland oil palm plantation areas in Sarawak, Malaysia. Total organic carbon (TOC) fluxes from the plantation second-and third-order drains were dominated (91 %) by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and ranged from 34.4 ± 9.7 C m −2 yr −1 to 57.7 %, 16.3 g C m −2 yr −1 (± 95 % confidence interval). These fluxes represent a single-year survey which was strongly influenced by an El Ninõ event and therefore lower discharge than usual was observed. The magnitude of the flux was found to be influenced by water table depth, with higher TOC fluxes observed from more deeply drained sites. Radiocarbon dating on the DOC component indicated the presence of old (pre-1950s) carbon in all samples collected, with DOC at the most deeply drained site having a mean age of 735 years. Overall, our estimates suggest fluvial TOC contributes ∼ 5 % of total carbon losses from oil palm plantations on peat. Maintenance of high and stable water tables in oil palm plantations appears to be key to minimising TOC losses. This reinforces the importance of considering all carbon loss pathways, rather than just CO 2 emissions from the peat surface, in studies of tropical peatland land conversion.

show abstract

High heterotrophic CO2 emissions from a Malaysian oil palm plantation during dry-season

Cited by 42 publications

References 23 publications

Environmental impacts as affected by different oil palm cropping systems in tropical peatlands

Environmental impacts as affected by different oil palm cropping systems in tropical peatlands

CO2 fluxes from drained tropical peatland used for oil palm plantation in relation to peat characteristics and crop age after planting

Fluvial organic carbon fluxes from oil palm plantations on tropical peatland

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About