Soil respiration and microbial population in tropical peat under oil palm plantation

[摘要] Peatland clearance and drainage result in the change of anaerobic to aerobic condition and hence microbial activities that increase CO2 emission. This study aimed to evaluate the rate of microbial respiration and microbial population from sapric and hemic peat under oil palm plantation. Research activities included measurement of soil respiration using potassium hydroxide (KOH) to capture the respired CO2, and counting the population of microbes. Results of this study showed that the highest rate of respiration of 3.3 ± 0.8 mg CO2 100 g-1 day-1 occurred from the 0-20 cm layer and it decreased to 2.1 ± 1.0 mg CO2 100 g-1 day-1 from the 20-40 cm layer and 1.2 ± 0.9 mg CO2 100 g-1 day-1 from the 40-60 cm layer in sapric peat. For the hemic peat the highest rate of respiration of 3.1 ± 0.4 mg CO2 100 g-1 day-1 occurred from the 0-20 cm layer and it decreased to 2.0 ± 0.7 mg CO2 100 g-1 day-1 from the 20-40 cm layer. Soil respiration decreased with peat depth and bacteria were the most dominant microbes in each peat depth, indicating that bacteria play a more important role in respiration than other microbes.

[发布机构] Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia^1;Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia^2;Indonesian Soil Research Institute, West Java, Bogor, Indonesia^3;Program Study of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera, Utara, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia^4;Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera, Utara Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia^5

[效力级别] 生态环境科学

[关键词] Aerobic condition;Microbial activities;Microbial populations;Microbial respiration;Oil palm plantations;Rate of respirations;Research activities;Soil respiration