Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release
This study compares the organic chemistry of peat beneath one of last remaining pristine tropical peat forests in Southeast Asia with a neighbouring peat dome that has been deforested, but not intentionally drained, in the Belait district of Brunei Darussalam, Borneo. We characterized the solid and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Netherlands
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107129 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7759-4447 |
| _version_ | 1826188987675443200 |
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| author | Cobb, A. R. Hei, I. Chieng Lim, L. B. L. Salim, K. Abu Harvey, Charles F Gandois, L. |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Cobb, A. R. Hei, I. Chieng Lim, L. B. L. Salim, K. Abu Harvey, Charles F Gandois, L. |
| author_sort | Cobb, A. R. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | This study compares the organic chemistry of peat beneath one of last remaining pristine tropical peat forests in Southeast Asia with a neighbouring peat dome that has been deforested, but not intentionally drained, in the Belait district of Brunei Darussalam, Borneo. We characterized the solid and dissolved organic matter collected from the two domes, through a combination of methods including elemental analysis, phenolic content and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) investigation of solid peat, as well as optical characterisation (absorbance, fluorescence) of dissolved organic matter (DOM). The peat had a high content of lignin, consistent with its origin from the Shorea albida trees on the domes. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration in the pore water was significantly greater in the deforested site (79.9 ± 5.5 mg l[superscript −1]) than the pristine site (62.2 ± 2.2 mg l[superscript −1]). The dissolved organic matter was richer in nitrogen and phenolics in the deforested site. The optical properties (Fluorescence Index) indicated a modification of DOM cycling in the deforested site (enhanced decomposition of the peat and fresh litter). Comparison of the solid peat composition between the two sites also suggests effects of deforestation: sulphur, nitrogen and phenolic contents were higher in the deforested site. Taken together, these observations are consistent with peat enhanced decomposition in the deforested site, even without engineered drainage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:07:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/107129 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:07:45Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Springer Netherlands |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1071292022-09-30T07:46:14Z Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release Cobb, A. R. Hei, I. Chieng Lim, L. B. L. Salim, K. Abu Harvey, Charles F Gandois, L. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Singapore-MIT Alliance in Research and Technology (SMART) Parsons Laboratory for Environmental Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Harvey, Charles F Gandois, L. This study compares the organic chemistry of peat beneath one of last remaining pristine tropical peat forests in Southeast Asia with a neighbouring peat dome that has been deforested, but not intentionally drained, in the Belait district of Brunei Darussalam, Borneo. We characterized the solid and dissolved organic matter collected from the two domes, through a combination of methods including elemental analysis, phenolic content and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) investigation of solid peat, as well as optical characterisation (absorbance, fluorescence) of dissolved organic matter (DOM). The peat had a high content of lignin, consistent with its origin from the Shorea albida trees on the domes. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration in the pore water was significantly greater in the deforested site (79.9 ± 5.5 mg l[superscript −1]) than the pristine site (62.2 ± 2.2 mg l[superscript −1]). The dissolved organic matter was richer in nitrogen and phenolics in the deforested site. The optical properties (Fluorescence Index) indicated a modification of DOM cycling in the deforested site (enhanced decomposition of the peat and fresh litter). Comparison of the solid peat composition between the two sites also suggests effects of deforestation: sulphur, nitrogen and phenolic contents were higher in the deforested site. Taken together, these observations are consistent with peat enhanced decomposition in the deforested site, even without engineered drainage. Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology. Center for Environmental Sensing and Modeling 2017-02-23T19:15:58Z 2017-02-23T19:15:58Z 2012-10 2012-03 2016-08-18T15:40:29Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0168-2563 1573-515X http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107129 Gandois, L., A. R. Cobb, I. Chieng Hei, L. B. L. Lim, K. Abu Salim, and C. F. Harvey. “Impact of Deforestation on Solid and Dissolved Organic Matter Characteristics of Tropical Peat Forests: Implications for Carbon Release.” Biogeochemistry 114, no. 1–3 (October 29, 2012): 183–199. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7759-4447 en http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10533-012-9799-8 Biogeochemistry Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht application/pdf Springer Netherlands Springer Netherlands |
| spellingShingle | Cobb, A. R. Hei, I. Chieng Lim, L. B. L. Salim, K. Abu Harvey, Charles F Gandois, L. Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release |
| title | Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release |
| title_full | Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release |
| title_fullStr | Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release |
| title_short | Impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests: implications for carbon release |
| title_sort | impact of deforestation on solid and dissolved organic matter characteristics of tropical peat forests implications for carbon release |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107129 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7759-4447 |
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