Evaluation of the carbon balance of tropical peat ecosystems using a tower-flux network

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25257401
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Hirano Takashi 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 教授 (20208838)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 都築 勇人 愛媛大学, 農学研究科, 准教授 (70363257) ; 甲山 治 京都大学, 東南アジア地域研究研究所, 准教授 (70402089) ; 伊藤 雅之 京都大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 助教 (70456820) ; 山田 浩之 北海道大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 講師 (10374620)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ITOH Akihiko 国立環境研究所, 地球環境研究センター, 主任研究員 (70344273)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 熱帯泥炭林 / 環境撹乱 / 排水 / 土地利用変化 / プランテーション / 泥炭分解

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In tropical peat ecosystems in Southeast Asia, including an undrained peat swamp forest, a drained swamp forest, a burned ex-swamp forest, a rubber plantation etc., various CO2 or carbon fluxes were measured, and CO2 emissions through oxidative peat decomposition, ecosystem-scale CO2 balance and carbon leaching (dissolved organic carbon: DOC) through runoff were quantified. As a result, 1) the sensitivity of peat decomposition to groundwater level, 2) a large amount of peat decomposition in a peat plantation, and 3) the contribution of peat decomposition to total subsidence, were mainly elucidated. The field data of CO2 fluxes were used to customize a terrestrial ecosystem process model (VISIT) to tropical peat ecosystems. Using the model, the carbon balance of tropical peatlands in whole Borneo Island was evaluated to be 1.8±12.9 Mt C ha-1 yr-1, which suggests that the tropical peat ecosystems have already changed to a carbon source.

Free Research Field

農林気象学