The Role of Compaction on Pyhsicochemical Properties and Carbon Emissions of Tropical Peat Soils: A Review

Samuel, Marshall Kana; Evers, Stephanie

doi:10.11113/jurnalteknologi.v85.18340

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 89 publications

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“…The compaction method, currently employed by oil palm companies in Sarawak, Malaysia, addresses emerging environmental concerns and aims to enhance palm yield. Peat compaction can occur passively through natural processes such as shrinkage, subsidence, and compression, or actively through the use of heavy machinery (5). Apart from improving yield and serving as soil mechanical anchorage for the oil palm root system (6), this technique is believed to effectively reduce the risk of fire by enhancing soil moisture levels (7)(8)(9).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translocation of tropical peat surface to deeper soil horizons under compaction controls carbon emissions in the absence of groundwater

Samuel,

Evers

2024

Front. Soil Sci.

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Compaction is recognized as an effective method for mitigating the risk of fires by enhancing soil moisture levels. This technique involves restricting peat pore spaces through compaction, facilitating improved capillary action for water retention and rehydration. The compaction of tropical peatlands, while beneficial for fire prevention, has the potential to influence biogeochemical processes and subsequent carbon emissions. The magnitude of compaction and groundwater level are strongly coupled in such environments, making it difficult to distinguish the control of physicochemical properties. Therefore, this study seeks to understand how peat compaction affects its properties, carbon emissions, and their relationship, with a focus on geophysical processes. Intact peat samples were collected from a secondary peat swamp forest and an oil palm plantation in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Compaction treatments were applied to achieve three levels of volume reduction. CO2 and CH4 emissions were measured using an automated gas analyzer, and the physicochemical properties of the peat were determined. The results revealed that mechanical compaction significantly altered the physicochemical properties of the secondary forest peat, displaying an opposite pattern to the oil palm plantation, particularly regarding total nitrogen and sulfur. Moreover, the average reduction percentage ratio of CO2 emissions (from 275.4 to 182.0 mg m-2 hr-1; 33.9%) to CH4 uptakes (from -17.8 to -5.2 µg m-2 hr-1; 70.1%) (~1:2) indicated distinct stages of decomposition and translocation of less decomposed peat to deeper layers due to compaction, predominantly in secondary peat swamp forest samples. The oil palm plantation samples were unaffected by compaction in terms of physicochemical properties and carbon emissions, indicating the ineffectiveness of this approach for reducing fire risk in already drained systems. This study underscores the necessity of understanding the effects of compaction in the absence of groundwater to accurately evaluate the widespread application of this technique.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translocation of tropical peat surface to deeper soil horizons under compaction controls carbon emissions in the absence of groundwater

Samuel,

Evers

2024

Front. Soil Sci.

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Assessing the potential of compaction techniques in tropical peatlands for effective carbon reduction and climate change mitigation

Samuel,

Evers

2023

SN Appl. Sci.

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There is a pressing need to tackle carbon emissions from oil palm plantations on tropical peatland, which has garnered significant discussion and concern in recent years. In response, compaction techniques were introduced in Malaysia with the aim of mitigating CO2 emissions by improving moisture levels and reducing soil aeration. This research investigates the impact of mechanical compaction on two distinct ecosystems: a peat swamp forest (PSF) and an oil palm plantation (OPP), characterized by their unique physicochemical properties Using a specially designed compaction apparatus, significant changes in carbon emissions were observed in PSF but not in OPP, with means 1263 and 404 mg CO2-eq m−2 h−1, respectively. This disparity can be due to substrate availability between the two ecosystems. Subsequently, in the PSF, a promising pattern of a percentage ratio of approximately 1:3.5 was observed, indicating a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions (from 1295 to 468 mg m−2 h−1; 64%) alongside a corresponding increase in CH4 emissions (from −50 to 60 µg m−2 h−1; 221%). This finding suggests that compaction alters the aerobic peat horizon, bringing the peat surface closer to the groundwater level. The study underscores the importance of considering confounding factors such as decomposition degree and groundwater fluctuation when assessing the effects of compaction on tropical peat. By shedding light on these complexities, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the efficacy of compaction techniques in reducing emissions of these special case atmospheric pollutants.

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The Role of Compaction on Pyhsicochemical Properties and Carbon Emissions of Tropical Peat Soils: A Review

Cited by 2 publications

References 89 publications

Translocation of tropical peat surface to deeper soil horizons under compaction controls carbon emissions in the absence of groundwater

Translocation of tropical peat surface to deeper soil horizons under compaction controls carbon emissions in the absence of groundwater

Assessing the potential of compaction techniques in tropical peatlands for effective carbon reduction and climate change mitigation

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