Effects of environmental variations on CO2 efflux from a tropical peatland in eastern sumatra

CO2 efflux from tropical peat swamp substrates was measured under three different land uses (selectively logged forest, recently burned and cleared forest, and agriculture) in Jambi Province, eastern Sumatra over a six-month period that incorporated parts of both the major wet and dry seasons. Clearance of peat swamp forest and cultivation led to increased emissions: mean CO2 effluxes ranged from 2.59 ± 0.22 μmolCO2 m-2 sec-1 for peat beneath selectively logged forest to 4.44 ± 1.16 μmolCO2 m-2 sec-1 beneath recently burned and cleared forest to 5.58 ± 1.34 μmolCO2 m-2 sec-1 beneath settled agriculture. Mean CO2 effluxes were significantly correlated with soil temperature at 20 cm depth (Q10 = 2.5) and water-table position. We combined SPOT satellite and CO2 efflux data to establish that the conversion of selectively logged forest to agricultural land has led to a substantial increase in annual emissions of CO2-C in the study area.