KEANEKARAGAMAN HAYATI DAN ROSOT KARBON PADA RAWA-GAMBUT DI BUKIT BATU, KABUPATEN BENGKALIS, PROVINSI RIAU (Biodiversity and Carbon Sinks on Peat Swamps in Bukit Batu, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province)

Abstract

Research on biodiversity and carbon sinks is still needed by the government to support policies in order to manage forests sustainably. The purpose of this study was to analyze the composition of species, stand structure, biomass and carbon sinks on peat-swamps in Bukit Batu, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province. The research method was carried out with an inventory of vegetation to determine the potential of stands, rejuvenation, biomass and carbon sinks. Sample plots were taken randomly in the form of measuring plots of 100 m x 100 m in each condition of old secondary forest, young secondary forest and old scrub forest in the peat-swamp protection forest. The species commonly found and evenly spread in all conditions of the peat-swamp forest were Gymnacranthera paniculata, Shorea teysmanniana, and Shorea gibbosa. The structure of the third stand condition of the peatswamp forest was still like a peat-swamp natural forest with the structure of the curve was in the shape of an inverted letter “J.” The three conditions of the peat-swamp forests have high biomass and carbon deposits with the highest content of those that were found in the old secondary forests, and the lowest was in the old scrub forests. The condition of the old secondary forests has the highest potential to absorb carbon dioxide in the air. The tree species that are potentially used as seed sources were S. teysmanniana, S. gibbosa and Diospyros maingayi.