Spatial variability of surface peat properties and carbon emissions in a tropical peatland oil palm monoculture during a dry season

The expansion of oil palm monocultures into globally important Southeast Asian tropical peatlands has caused severe environmental damage. Despite much of the current focus of environmental impacts being directed at industrial scale plantations, over half of oil palm land-use cover in Southeast Asia is from smallholder plantations. We differentiated a first generation smallholder oil palm monoculture into 8 different sampling zones, and further divided the 8 sampling zones into oil palm root influenced (Proximal) and reduced root influence (Distal) areas, to assess how peat properties regulate in situ carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) fluxes. We found that all the physico-chemical properties and nutrient concentrations except sulphur varied significantly among sampling zones. All physico-chemical properties except electrical conductivity, and all nutrient content except nitrogen and potassium varied significantly between Proximal and Distal areas. Mean CO₂ fluxes (ranged between 382 and 1191 mg m⁻² h⁻¹) varied significantly among sampling zones, and between Proximal and Distal areas, with notably high emissions in Dead Wood and Path zones, and consistently higher emissions in Proximal areas compared to Distal areas within almost all the zones. CH₄ fluxes (ranged between −32 and 243 µg m⁻² h⁻¹) did not significantly vary between Proximal and Distal areas, however significantly varied amongst sampling zones. CH₄ flux was notably high in Canal Edge and Understorey Ferns zones, and negative in Dead Wood zone. The results demonstrate the high heterogeneity of peat properties within oil palm monoculture, strengthening the need for intensive sampling to characterize a land use in the tropical peatlands.     

Sorption of Copper(II) from Aqueous Solution by Peat

The use of peat for removal of copper(II) from aqueous solution has been investigated at various initial copper ion concentrations and masses of peat. The equilibrium sorption study can be described by the Langmuir equation and defined in terms of the operating lines for each batch contacting system. The mechanisms of the rate of sorption of copper(II) were analysed using the Elovich equation and a pseudo-second-order model. Both rate mechanisms provided a very high degree of correlation of the experimental sorption rate data suggesting either model could be used in design applications.     

Relationships among soil characteristics,plant macronutrients,and cardenolide accumulation in natural populations of Digitalis obscura

In the present study, we have investigated relationships among several soil parameters (pH, organic matter, total carbonate, macronutrients, electrical conductivity, cation‐exchange capacity) and macronutrient and cardenolide contents in leaves of wild Digitalis obscura plants. Young and mature leaves and soil samples were collected in ten different areas, corresponding to three Mediterranean bioclimatic belts (thermo‐, meso‐, and supramediterranean belts). Soil and leaf macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) contents and leaf cardenolide contents were determined. Bioclimatic conditions influenced the development of D. obscura, biomass being lowest in plant populations of the supramediterranean belt, but they did not exert any relevant effect on the contents of macronutrients in soils and plants. Magnesium (total and EDTA‐extracted) was the only soil macronutrient significantly correlated with its content in the plant. Cardenolide contents were negatively correlated with the N, P, and K contents in young leaves, whereas such correlations were highly significant and positive for Mg.     

Kinetics of sorption of orthophosphate and pyrophosphate by ammoniated tropical soils

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was conducted to study kinetics of sorption of orthophosphate (OP) and pyrophosphate (PP) from dilute solutions by three ammoniated tropical soils. Milligrams of P sorbed by soil (?P) and shaking time (t) showed a linear relationship: ?P = a + b √t. The data suggested two diffusion — controlled processes during P sorption. In general, due to ammoniation, initial sorption rate of OP (in linear region I) increased while that of PP decreased. PP was sorbed more than OP. Sorption rate of OP and PP in linear region II showed a tendency to decrease with increasing ammoniation levels.     

Labile Carbon and Carbon Management Index in Peat Planted with Various Crops

Changes in soil carbon (C) from forest to agriculture land in Mukah, Sarawak, and Simpang Renggam (SR) Johor were studied. The changes in labile C (C_L) (Mukah, 0.7–43%; SR, 0.2–20%) were greater than changes in the total C (C_T) (Mukah, 0.5–9%; SR, 0.3–7%) as compared to the forest. In Mukah, oil palm and pineapple ecosystems showed approximately 18% and 6% increases in C_L at a soil depth of 0–15 cm, respectively, as compared to the forest, and thus had greater C management index (CMI) values. In the sago ecosystem, the decline in C_L was approximately 26% at the soil depth of 0–15 cm as compared to the forest. In SR, oil palm and pineapple ecosystems showed approximately 0.2% and 19% decreases in C_L, respectively, at soil depths of 0–15 cm, resulting in low CMI value. The CL and the CMI can be used to monitor the rate of changes in soil C for different land uses on peat.     

Nutritional Environment of Tropical Peat Soils in Sarawak,Malaysia Based on Soil Solution Composition

It has been considered that natural peat soils and swamp forest ecosystems in the tropics are quite oligotrophic. This concept seems to be related to the low mineral contents in the soil solid phase of the peat soils. However, some nutritional elements such as K, Mg, Ca, and/or P may be abundant in the soil solution phase and could easily migrate in peat soils. In order to analyze the nutritional environment of peat soils, chemical composition of the soil solid phase and soil solution was compared.

This study was carried out in Naman Forest Reserve, Sibu and in/around Sg. Talau Peat Research Station, Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia. In both areas, each of the three study sites with a different depth of underlying mineral layer was selected for sampling of soil and soil solution. All the soils studied except for one shallow peat profile were classified into Oligotrophic peat based on Fleischer’s criteria. The soil solution collected monthly showed the following characteristics in its composition.

1. Concentrations of Al, Si, and Fe were higher in the soil solution from the shallow peat than in that from the deep peat, reflecting the effect of underlying mineral layers on the soil solution composition.

2. Concentrations of Na, Mg, and Cl in the soil solution and Na and Mg contents in the soil solid phase reflected the distance from the sea. In the Naman series, accumulation of K and Ca in the soil solution was larger in the surface layer in the deep peat than in the shallow peat, though such clear trend was not observed for the K content in the soil solid phase.

3. The concentrations of N and P were fairly high in the soil solution in all the profiles except for P in the profile near the center of the peat dome. Dissolved P consisted mostly of ortho-phosphate, whereas a larger part of N was in the organic form.

4. At the Sago plantation farm on deep peat, depletion of K and P was observed during the rainy season. Such instability in the concentrations in the soil solution was attributed to forest clear-cutting and subsequent disturbance of nutrient cycling.

In general, the concentrations of N, P, K, and Ca in the soil solution were not low even in the Oligotrophic peat. However, in taking account of the fact that the peat soils showed low mineral contents in the available forms and that the bulk density was also quite low, the potential capacity to supply K, Ca, and/ or P was not necessarily high in spite of the apparent high intensity observed for the soil solution composition. Therefore, from the viewpoint of nutrient dynamics, the potential for the use of reclaimed peat land was considered to be rather limited especially under low input management.     

Comparative molybdenum concentrations in some tropical pasture legumes

Abstract

The relation between Mo concentration of several tropical pasture legumes and their growth response to Mo application has been compared. Lotononis had the greatest ability to take up Mo and its growth was least responsive to Mo application. There were no consistent differences between Mo concentrations in Siratro, desmodium and glycine, even though their growth responses differed.

The concentrations of Mo in plant shoots required for maximum growth were about 0.02 ppm or less for all species. By contrast, critical Mo concentrations in shoots of temperate pasture legumes usually exceed 0.1 ppm.

When Mo was annually applied to soil on which no growth response to Mo occured, Mo concentrations in the shoots of plants reached levels that could be toxic to cattle.     

Phosphorus Fertilizer use in Pineapple Cultivation with in situ Residues Burning on Organic Soils

Abstract

In Malaysia, pineapples are grown on peat soils, but most phosphorus (P) fertilizer recommendations are made without due quantification of P uptake; the distribution of P in roots, stem, leaves, peduncle, fruit, and crown; or loss through leaching even though P retention in peat soils is low. This study was conducted to determine applied P‐use efficiency under a conventionally recommended fertilization regime in pineapple cultivation with in situ residues burning before replanting. Results showed that most of the P uptake in pineapple can be found in the fruit, stem, leaves, and crown, but the general trend of P distribution was in the order of fruits>leaves>stem>crown>peduncle>roots. Phosphorus recovery in pineapple cultivation was about 40%, and this low recovery was attributed to leaching. Hence, fertilizer recommendations need to take into consideration P loss through leaching. This will help to increase P‐use efficiency because it is not possible to build up P content of peat soils. As a result, the need to assess the possibility of side‐dress applications of phosphatic fertilizers on peat soil is necessary.     

Effect of micronutrient application on the growth and occurrence of sterility in barley and rice in a Malaysian deep peat soil

Abstract

Nodule formation in legume crops is a multistep process which involves the interactive gene expression of bacteria and host plants. Attempts to widen the genetic variation of symbiotic bacteria and host plants have led to the isolation of several mutants with a diverse capability of nodulation. The most striking variants in hosts are the supernodulating mutants isolated in pea (Pisum sativum L.) (Jacobsen and Feenstra 1984; Duc and Messager 1989), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (Park and Buttery 1988), and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Men.) (Carroll et al. 1985a,b; Gremaud and Harper 1989; Akao and Kouchi 1992), all of which are capable of producing several-fold more nodules than their parental lines in the presence of nitrate. These mutants may be useful materials for analyzing the mechanism controlling nodule formation, and are considered to have a high agronomic potential under certain growing conditions.     

Using Thermal Sensitivity Analysis to Determine the Impact of Drainage on the Hydrochemistry of a Tropical Peat Soil from Malaysia

Peat from an area of pristine swamp in Malaysia and from an area of that swamp drained 10 years earlier for agriculture was incubated along a temperature gradient from 0 to 20 °C to simulate microbial activity through changes in temperature. With increasing temperature, nitrate availability decreased in the pristine peat but increased in the drained peat, suggesting that drainage has altered the principle nitrate transformation process from denitrification to nitrification. Sulfate concentrations in the pristine peat exhibited a greater proportional decrease with increasing temperature than in the drained peat, suggesting that drainage has decreased the influence of sulfate reduction over sulfate availability at this site. With the exception of phosphate, nutrient concentrations in the drained site were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than in the pristine site. Biogeochemical models should consider that drained peatlands may respond very differently to the temperature change predicted by current climate change models.     

Tolerance of seven tropical pasture grasses to excess manganese

Abstract

Setaria and paspalum were found to be very tolerant of excess Mn. Green panic and sorghum were somewhat less tolerant with foliar symptoms due to excess Mn being exhibited in plants containing 1000 ppm Mn and yield reductions occurring in plants containing Mn concentrations of the order of 2000 ppm. Excess Mn did not effect the early seedling growth of sabi grass but regrowth was severely depressed. Rhodes grass and buffel grass were severely effected by excess manganese. Regrowth of these two species was more adversely effected than initial seedling growth indicating that these species probably would not survive to maintain a stable pasture in Mn toxic situations.

Accumulation of excess Mn was accompanied by a linear decline in Ca concentrations in all species.     

Ionic relations in tropical pasture grasses

Ionic relations in the tops of nine tropical pasture grasses were studied by using K‐Na and K‐Mg nutrient replacement series in sand culture. Rhodes grass, green panic, and pangola grass accumulated Na when K supply was low and Na was available. Sorghum, kikuyu, paspalum, speargrass and setaria accumulated very little Na but considerable quantities of Mg when the K supply was low and Mg was available. There were smaller increases in the amounts of Mg accumulated by rhodes grass, green panic, buffel grass and pangola grass than in the other five species when grown in solutions of low K/Mg ratio.

Concentrations of K, Na, Ca, Mg, P, Cl, NO , and SO. in the plant tops are presented. Although experimental treatments resulted in considerable variations in the concentrations of individual elements, cation‐anion balances (C‐A) remained relatively constant when nutrient deficiency did not depress yield in rhodes grass, green panic, pangola grass, sorghum, kikuyu, paspalum and speargrass. C‐A values in setaria and buffel grass increased as the concentration of K in the nutrient solutions increased.

These results are used as a basis for suggesting management practices that will improve the chemical composition of plant material and avoid a number of nutritional disorders that can occur in animals grazing these grasses.     

Biodegradation kinetics of monosaccharides and their contribution to basal respiration in tropical forest soils

Low molecular weight (LMW) organic compounds in soil solution are easily biodegradable and could fuel respiration by soil microorganisms. Our main aim was to study the mineralization kinetics of monosaccharides using ¹⁴C-radiolabelled glucose. Based on these data and the soil solution concentrations of monosaccharides, we evaluated the contribution of monosaccharides to basal respiration for a variety of tropical forest soils. Further, the factors controlling the mineralization kinetics of monosaccharides were examined by comparing tropical and temperate forest soils. Monosaccharides comprised on average 5.2 to 47.7% of dissolved organic carbon in soil solution. Their kinetic parameters (V _max and K_M ), which were described by a single Michaelis-Menten equation, varied widely from 11 to 152?nmol?g^?1?h^?1 and 198 to 1294?µmol?L^?1 for tropical soils, and from 182 to 400?nmol?g^?1?h^?1 and 1277 to 3150?µmol?L^?1 for temperate soils, respectively. The values of V _max increased with increasing microbial biomass-C in tropical and temperate soils, while the K_M values had no correlations with soil biological or physicochemical properties. The positive correlation between V _max values and microbial biomass-C indicates that microbial biomass-C is an essential factor to regulate the V _max values in tropical and temperate forest soils. The biodegradation kinetics of monosaccharides indicate that the microbial capacity of monosaccharide mineralization far exceeds its rate at soil solution concentration. Monosaccharides in soil solution are rapidly mineralized, and their mean residence times in this study were very short (0.4–1.9?h) in tropical forests. The rates of monosaccharide mineralization at actual soil solution concentrations made up 22–118% of basal respiration. Probably because of the rapid and continuous production and consumption of monosaccharides, monosaccharide mineralization is shown to be a dominant fraction of basal respiration in tropical forest soils, as well as in temperate and boreal forest soils.     

Fate of Microelements Applied to a Tropical Peat Soil: Column Experiment

Lack of microelements is a major problem in crop production in tropical peatland. For their efficient application, the fate of copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in a Histosol was investigated in a 3-month column experiment. Leaching of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn accounted for 2, –2 to 7, 28 to 32, and 21 to 23% of the amounts applied, respectively, in both the flooded and upland soils. The microelement application enhanced the leaching of calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and phosphorus (P). Replacement of exchangeable cations by the microelements was suggested in the successive extraction of elements from the soils after incubation. Under the upland conditions, 31–33% of the Cu and Fe increased in soil was extracted with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid?/?triethanolamine (bound to humus), whereas 26–31% of the Mn and Zn increased was exchangeable. Extractability was smaller under the flooded conditions for all the microelements, suggesting that fertilization in the dry season is more effective.     

RESPONSES OF TOMATO VAR. TINY TOM TO APPLICATION OF COPPER AND ZINC FERTILIZERS IN THREE LIMED TROPICAL PEAT SOILS OF SARAWAK

We assessed the response of the tomato variety “Tiny Tom” to the application of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) fertilizers in three tropical peat soils of Sarawak: mixed swamp forest, Alan forest and Padang Alan forest. Limed soils were used because peat soils in their natural condition are unsuitable to sustain healthy growth of most crops. Yield responses were correlated with added Cu and Zn using Mitscherlich model. Adequate levels of applied Cu and Zn were calculated as those which resulted in 90% of the maximum obtainable shoot dry weight. Application of Cu and Zn significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the shoot dry weight and the shoot Cu and Zn concentrations of tomato. Application of the equivalent of 8.3 kg Cu and 5.2 kg Zn per ha was required to achieve 90% of the maximum shoot dry weight. In tomato shoots, the critical concentration for Cu was 18 mg/kg and for Zn, 92 mg/kg. The corresponding concentrations for diethylenetriaminepentaaceticacid (DTPA) extractable Cu and Zn in the soils were 2.3 mg Cu kg ^?1 and 3.6 mg Zn kg ^?1 . However, the addition of Cu fertilizer also increased Zn uptake by tomato plant, probably by displacing native Zn that was weakly sorbed to the soil solid phase.     

Humic Substance Fractions and Attributes of Histosols and Related High‐Organic‐Matter Soils from Brazil

Abstract

Knowledge of the distribution of soil organic matter (SOM) fractions is important in managing soils toward a sustainable agricultural system in a tropical environment. However, data on Histosols is limited. This study developed 19 profiles of Histosols and soils with high organic-matter content from different regions of Brazil. Soil organic matter was fractionated into fulvic acids (FAF), humic acids (HAF), and humin (HUM). The ratios HAF/FAF and AE (alkaline extract)/HUM were calculated. The objectives were to evaluate the method for SOM fractionating in Histosols and related soils and to correlate the distribution of organic fractions with other soil attributes. The humic fractions presented significant correlations with other soil attributes, the best being the correlation between FAF and nutrient level. The HAF and HUM presented high correlation with cationic exchange capacity, active acidity (H⁺) and pH. Humin and the alkaline extract absorbance measured at 380 nm and 465 nm and presented good correlation with total organic carbon.     

杭州湾典型潮滩湿地植物带沉积物磷吸附特征

利用磷酸盐吸附动力学和等温吸附实验,研究了杭州湾潮滩湿地沉积物磷素吸附特征,并分析了不同植被类型及其沉积物理化性质对磷吸附的影响。结果表明,不同沉积物磷的吸附与释放过程均包括快速吸附(0~1 h)、慢速吸附(1~16 h)和平衡(16~72 h)3个阶段,不同植物没有明显影响这一趋势。改进的Langmuir模型拟合表明,沉积物最大吸附容量(Qmax)在154.5~436.2 mg/kg间,生长植物的沉积物Qmax明显高于光滩沉积物。沉积物自带可解吸磷(NAP)较少,在1.853~4.777 mg/kg间,NAP在不同类型沉积物的分布趋势与Qmax值相似。4种植被类型沉积物EPC0值低于潮汐水体中磷酸盐浓度,扮演着"汇"的角色,EPC0在不同沉积物间差异较小。相关性分析显示,杭州湾潮滩沉积物Qmax和NAP受有机质、颗粒组成和总无机磷含量影响,其中Qmax还受电导率影响,而研究区EPC0与沉积物理化性质不存在显著相关性。植物可以通过影响沉积物的物理化学参数,从而影响磷的吸附过程。     

Development of an alternative artificial soil for earthworm toxicity testing in tropical countries

The standard soil invertebrate toxicity tests developed by OECD and ISO use an artificial soil as the test substrate, which contains sphagnum peat as a component. This type of peat is not widely available. Investigation of possible alternative substrates using locally available materials therefore is vital for performing such ecotoxicity tests, particularly in the tropics. We studied the suitability of paddy husk (PH), saw-dust (SD), non-composted (NCCP) and composted coco peat (CCP) as a replacement for sphagnum peat. Artificial soil (AS) was prepared by mixing 70% sand and 20% kaolin clay with 10% PH, SD, NCCP or CCP. First, the reproduction potential of the earthworm Eisenia andrei was investigated in modified artificial soil (MAS) using the original OECD AS as the control. The number of juveniles produced in OECD AS, MAS_PH and MAS_CCP was not significantly different but it was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in MAS_SD and MAS_NCCP. The toxicity of chlorpyrifos, carbendazim and carbofuran for E. andrei was determined to validate the substrates. The 28-day LC₅₀s for the three pesticides in original AS, MAS_CCP and MAS_PH were not significantly different, but the EC₅₀ for effects on reproduction in the MAS_PH was significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to OECD AS and MAS_CCP. We conclude that composted coco peat might be a suitable replacement for sphagnum peat in AS for soil ecotoxicity studies.