CO2 Emissions from Tropical Peat Soil Affected by Fertilization

Abstract

The conversion of peatland to agricultural land uses has led to an increase of CO2 emission due to several factors, including fertilization. However, evidence on the effect of fertilization on CO2 emission from peat soils is rare and often inconsistence. We measured the effects of different types of fertilizer, including N, P and K sources, and clay as an ameliorant on CO2 emission from a bare peat soil in Lubuk Ogong, Riau Province. The fertilizers were added in the following combinations: 0 (unfertilized plot), N source (urea), slow-release N (slow-release urea), N and P sources (Urea+SP-36), N, P and K sources (urea+SP-36+KCl) and combined NPK-Clay. The results showed that fertilization resulted in a decrease of CO2 emissions compared to that prior to fertilization except when slow-release urea was applied. The decreas of CO2 emissions was probably due to pH-related effects, because the pH in the N treatment was lower than that in both control and unfertilized plots. A decrease in the level of CO2 emissions among the treatments followed the order of NPK-Clay>NP>NPK>urea>slow-release urea. Covariance analysis showed that the difference in CO2 emissions prior to treatment was not significant. The application of individual and combined treatments of N, P, K and NPK mixed with 5 Mg ha-1 clay led to a significant reduce of CO2 emissions from bare peat soil. In addition to fertilization, the depth of water table significantly affected the CO2 emissions (P<0.05). We conclude that the application of nutrient combinations, including N, P, K and clay, could reduce CO2 emissions because the fertilizer and clay applications probably could maintain a balanced nutritional condition in the soil with respect to microbial activity.

Keywords

• Amelioration
• CO2 emission
• fertilization