Floristic diversity in the peatland ecosystems of central Kalimantan

Abstract

Tropical peatlands have accumulated huge amounts of carbon. However, the carbon pool is presently disturbed by land utilization practices, and consequently it is becoming vulnerable to the effects of the changes. Tropical peatlands present a threat if they switch from being carbon sinks to carbon sources for the atmosphere. In the present state they provide a number of ecosystem services, such as biodiversity, habitat maintenance, water cycling, and commodities for exploitation. Tree diversity in the peatland forests of various study sites in Central Kalimantan are described here. In the Sebangau, Bawan, and Hampangen villages, the trees species were only 42.5%of the total number of tree species found in the peatland forest. The estimates of above-ground biomass was about 331 t ha-1, and the litterfall around 6.5-9.1 t ha-1 year-1. The litterfall varied among locations, different in the degraded and intact peatland forests, and the nitrogen and carbon input of litterfall in these peatland forest types were 39.1 and 2,724 kg ha-1 year-1, respectively.