Investigation of Post-Fire Peatland Natural Recovery, South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Peatlands play a critical role in the world's habitats since are composed of heterogeneous materials and chemical reactions. Peatlands fires significantly changes chemical characteristics of its soil such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content. This study aims to measure peatland recovery of those soil chemical characteristics based on two different time of sampling that are five years (Yr+5) and seven years (Yr+7) after the fires in 2015 (taken in 2020 and 2022). This study was conducted in the Balangan River - Batangalai River peat hydrological unit, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Soil samples were collected at nine different locations that are six locations in areas that experienced fires in 2015 and three locations in areas that did not experience fires. Those soil samples were taken with Excavated Pits at each sample location at each depth of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 cm. This study found that Carbon content in the post-fire area increased by 22.00% and in the natural area by 9.90%. Nitrogen content in the post-fire area increased by 1.94% and in the natural area by 1.17%. Potassium content in post-fire areas increased by 16.33% and in natural areas by 4.44%. The phosphorus content in the post-fire area increased by 3.18% and in the natural area by 5.11%. Comparison of carbon content with nitrogen in post-fire areas increased by 9.68% and in natural areas by 8.63%. Comparison of carbon content with phosphorus in post-fire areas increased by 18.24% and in natural areas by 4.56%. The increase in carbon, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, C/N ratio and C/P ratio in post-fire and natural peatlands indicates an improved condition.

Keywords

• peatland
• post fire
• soil chemical characteristics
• carbon
• nitrogen