Transcript PowerPoint presentation (PPT file)

Topic B3. Peat swamp forests for adaptation:
potentials and vulnerability
Matthew Warren
Topic B3. Slide 2 of 20
The Tropics are the first to feel the effects of
Climate Change.
“…the earliest emergence of unprecedented climates will occur in areas with the greatest
number of species on Earth, where a large proportion of the world’s human population lives and
where conservation and economic capacity to adapt are limited.” — Mora et al. 2014
Topic B3. Slide 3 of 20
Tropical Peatlands
Peatlands are distributed throughout the tropical world, with the majority
occurring in SE Asia. They too, will be affected by climate change.
Asia 1%
Central America & Caribbean 5%
South America 24%
(Peru and Brazil: 17%)
SE Asia 56%
(Indonesia and Malaysia: 53%)
Africa 13%
Source: Page et al. (2011) Global Change Biology 17(2)
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2010.02279.x
Topic B3. Slide 4 of 20
Most tropical peatlands are formed by highly
productive tropical rainforests known as Peat
Swamp Forests (PSF). In many ways, these
forests are similar to other tropical rainforests,
such as in the size and density of large trees.
However, unique biological communities are
specially adapted to thrive in the flooded,
oxygen poor environment.
Topic B3. Slide 5 of 20
Peat swamp forests can also be palm-dominated
For example in Southern Papua Indonesia and in the upper Amazon basin of Peru.
Sago swamp forest, Papua Indonesia
Amazonian peat swamp, Peru
Topic B3. Slide 6 of 20
Ecosystem Services
Tropical peatlands supply numerous ecosystem services, including:
Provisioning
Regulating
Supporting
Tanjung Puting
National Park
Image courtesy of F.
Rahman
• Hydrology
• Timber and natural
forest products
• Water supply
• Fish production
- Flood Mitigation
- Maintain baseflows
- Prevent saltwater
intrusion
- Groundwater
(recharge and discharge)
• Pollination
• Sediment, nutrient
and toxin removals
• Carbon Sink
Cultural
• Primary
productivity
• Nutrient cycling
• Water cycling
• Cultural values
Spiritual
Recreational
Educational
Historical
Traditional
Aesthetic
Adapted from: Guidelines on integrated management planning for peatland forests in Southeast
Asia. ASEAN Peatland Forest Project. www.aseanpeat.net
Topic B3. Slide 7 of 20
Ecosystem Services
Uses of peat swamp forest plants
1,376
Species found in lowland peat swamp forests
8-10% restricted to this habitat
534
(39%) have a known use
222
(16%) for timber
221
(16%) for medicine
165
(12%) for food
165
(12%) for other uses (latex, fuel, dyes, etc.)
Many species have multiple uses
Source: Giesen (2013)
Swamp Jelutung Dyera polyphylla
produces latex with economic value.
Topic B3. Slide 8 of 20
Biodiversity Conservation
Peat swamp forests are habitat for numerous rare and endangered species, and
considered important refugia for primates and felids (Nowak 2013).
Topic B3. Slide 9 of 20
Tropical Peat Swamps and
Climate Change
Converting tropical peat swamp forest to other land
uses releases very large amounts of greenhouse
gases to the atmosphere from peat decomposition
and burning.
• Drainage lowers the water table, and aerated peat
decomposes rapidly in the humid tropical environment.
• Fire is commonly used to clear unwanted surface
biomass to prepare land for planting.
• Biomass burning on peatlands often spreads into the
surface peat layer, creating smoldering peat fires that
are extremely difficult to extinguish.
• Peat consumption by fire can range from a few
centimeters to over a meter, depending on peat
conditions and the duration of the burn.
Top: Large drainage canal in West Kalimantan located on peatland 3-5m thick. The area is
being prepared for oil palm cultivation. Bottom: Active peat fire on the margins of peat
swamp forest in Riau, Sumatra. Note the deep burn scar and residual ash layer. The red
line is an approximation of the original peat surface.
Topic B3. Slide 10 of 20
Tropical Peat Swamps and Climate Change
Although the magnitude and exact impacts of climate change are diffiult to predict and
generalize, several overall trends are expected:
 Increased frequency and severity of extreme events
 Altered amount and delivery of precipitation
 Longer, more severe drought and prolonged dry periods
 More intnse rainfall events during wet periods
 Increasing temperature
 Increased nightly minimums
 Increased plant respiration
 Higher soil temperatures and potentially lower soil moisture content
 Sea-level rise
 Increased tidal inudiation and storm urges
 Increased groundwater intrusion and salinization
 Decreasing draunage gradients affecting land surface discharge
Q: How will interactions between human and climate change impacts on peat swamp forests affect ecosystem
services and environmental and human health?
A: Peat swamp degradation increases the vulnerability of human and natural systems to the impacts of climate
change, while releasing large amounts of GHGs; which creates a negative feedback.
Topic B3. Slide 11 of 20
Climate Stressors
Rising temperatures
Sea level rise
Frequent extreme events
Changed precipitation patterns
Negative feedback
Restoration?
Sustainable
Landscape
Human Impacts
•
•
•
•
•
Intact PSF:
Resilient
Maintain hydrological function, mitigate
floods and drought
Resistant to fire
Maintain biodiversity and resistant to pests
Maintain carbon balance (C sink)
Sustained environmental and human welfare
•
•
•
•
•
Deforestation
Degradation
Drainage
Burning
•
•
•
•
•
Degraded PSF: Vulnerable
Lose hydrological function: more floods and
drought
Semi-permanent or permanent areas of
inundation where peat has subsided
Highly susceptible to fire
Less biodiversity, fewer pollinators, potential
pest outbreaks
Negative carbon balance (large C source)
Declining environmental and human welfare.
Topic B3. Slide 12 of 20
How will governments, communities, and people
respond to climate driven environmental
pressures?
In short, people will need to adapt to a changing climate to maintain or
improve public health, economic security, and quality of life.
What is Climate Adaptation?
Adaptation refers to adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in
response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It
refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate
potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate
change". (IPCC 2001, Third Assessment Report;
http://unfccc.int/adaptation/items/7021.php)
Topic B3. Slide 13 of 20
Tropical Peat Swamps and Climate Adaptation
 Peat Swamp Forests have large mitigation potential; GHG emissions are very high when
degraded or converted.
 Emissions avoided through sustainable management and conservation can contribute to
national climate mitigation strategies and action plans.
 Intact peat swamp forests increase landscape resiliency to climate change impacts,
thereby reducing the vulnerability of human and natural systems to climate impacts.
 Mitigation potential coupled with critical ecosystems services, biodiversity, and multiple
co-benefits make peat swamps ideal for Adaptation based Mitigation (AbM) strategies.
 AbM involves synergizing adaptation and mitigation efforts: Managing and rehabilitating
ecosystems for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.
 Ecosystem based adaptation: Ecosystem services conserved or restored to reduce
vulnerability of human systems impacted by climate change (Locatelli 2008)
 Forest based adaptation : Forests and agroforestry systems are maintained to supply
goods and services which can serve as an income “safety net” for rural communities.
(Pramova et al. 2012)
Topic B3. Slide 14 of 20
Tropical Peat Swamps and Climate Adaptation
Implementing sustainable and adaptive management can maintain the
environmental health of the ecosystem and flow of goods and services to society
Source: Locatelli et al. (2010)
Topic B3. Slide 15 of 20
Tropical Peat Swamps and Climate Adaptation
Forest Land
Cleared/Grassland
Collaborative adaptive management
Adaptation
Mitigation
Economic
Developme
nt
Managed
plantations
Cropland
Sustainable Landscape
•
•
•
Human health
Food security
Poverty reduction
•
•
•
A diverse peatland landscape. Human and natural systems
need to be balanced to optimize environmental benefits,
climate goals, and human wellbeing.
Biodiversity
Ecosystem services
Maintain C stocks
•
•
•
Reduced emissions
Resilient to climate impacts
Goods and services
Mitigation and adaptation need to be aligned with sustainability and development goals
Topic B3. Slide 16 of 20
Tropical Peat Swamps and Climate Adaptation
Hypothetical example of Adaptation based Mitigation: Indonesia
Climate change: More frequent and severe dry periods and drought
Impact: More frequent and severe peat fires on drained and degraded peatlands— highly
vulnerable due to abundant fine fuels and dry surface peat.
Adaptation measure: Rewet peatlands and restore natural cover, or establish tree plantations
which do not require drainage (i.e. Swamp Jelutung Dyera polypylla or Sago Metroxylon sagu).
Wet peatlands reduce fire risk on the landscape.
Mitigation measure: Rewetting peatlands reduces GHG emissions and reforestation increases
ecosystem carbon stocks from the degraded state.
Burning oil palm plantation,
drained
Burned peatland. Will be
planted with Oil Palm.
Peatland rewetting and
restoration project
Jelutung latex
Topic B3. Slide 17 of 20
Summary
•
Properly managed peat swamp forests continue supplying
numerous ecosystem services and goods to society, while
maintaining or even increasing carbon stocks over the long term.
•
Poorly managed peat swamps and conversion to other uses
increase landscape vulnerability to the impacts of climate
change, causing deterioration of environmental health and
human welfare. In addition, large amounts of greenhouse gases
are released to the atmosphere contributing further to climate
change.
•
Opportunities exist to synergize adaptation and mitigation
efforts: sustainable adaptation strategies for tropical peatlands
include mitigation benefits: peat swamp conservation, uses that
do not require drainage, restoration and rewetting lessen the
impacts of climate change while avoiding or reducing large
amounts of GHG emissions.
•
Adaptation, mitigation, and development must be balanced to
strive toward sustainable landscape management, which
optimizes environmental health and human welfare.
Topic B3. Slide 18 of 20
References
Dommain R, Couwenberg J, Glaser PH, Joosten H, and Suryadiputra INN. 2014. Carbon storage and
release in Indonesian peatlands since the last deglaciation. Quaternary Science Reviews 97:132.
Giesen W. 2013. Paludiculture: sustainable alternatives on degraded peat land in Indonesia. Report on
activity 3.3 of project, in: Quick assessment and nationwide screening (QANS) of peat and
lowland resources and action planning for the implementation of a National Lowland Strategy.
For Partners for Water, the Netherlands (PVW3A10002), Indonesian Ministry of Public Works &
Bappenas.
Kottelat M, Britz R, Hui TH, and Witte KE. 2006. Paedocypris, a new genus of Southeast Asian cyprinid
fish with a remarkable sexual dimorphism, comprises the world's smallest vertebrate.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 273(1589):895-899.
Locatelli B. 2011. Synergies between adaptation and mitigation in a nutshell. Climate change and
Forests in the Congo Basin: Synergies between adaptation and mitigation. Bogor: CIFOR
Locatelli B. Kanninen M, Brockhaus M, Colfer CJP, Murdiyarso D, & Santoso, H. 2008. Facing an
uncertain future: How forests and people can adapt to climate change.
Margono BA, Potapov PV, Turubanova S, Stolle F, and Hansen MC. 2014. Primary forest cover loss in
Indonesia over 2000-2012. Nature Climate Change.
Miettinen J, Shi C, and Liew SC. 2011. Deforestation rates in insular Southeast Asia between 2000 and
2010. Global Change Biology 17(7):2261-2270.
Mora C, Frazier AG, Longman RJ, Dacks RS, Walton MM, Tong EJ, Sanchez JJ, et al. 2014. Mora et al.
reply. Nature 511(7507):E5-E6.
Topic B3. Slide 19 of 20
References
Mora C, Frazier AG, Longman RJ, Dacks RS, Walton MM, Tong EJ, Sanchez JJ, et al. 2013. The projected
timing of climate departure from recent variability. Nature 502(7470):183-187.
Nowak K. 2013. Mangrove and peat swamp forests: refuge habitats for primates and felids. Folia
Primatologica 83(3-6):361-376.
Page SE, Rieley JO,and Banks CJ. 2011. Global and regional importance of the tropical peatland carbon
pool. Global Change Biology 17(2):798-818.
Pramova E, Locatelli B, Djoudi H, and Somorin OA. 2012. Forests and Trees for social adaptation to
climate variability and change. WIREs Climate Change 3:581-596.
Wahyunto, Heryanto B, Bekti H, dan Widiastuti F. 2006. Peta-Peta Sebaran Lahan Gambut, Luas dan
Kandungan Karbon di Papua/Maps of Peatland Distribution, Area and Carbon Content in
Papua, 2000 - 2001. Bogor, Indonesia: Wetlands International – Indonesia Programme &
Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC).
Wahyunto SR and Subagjo H. 2004. Map of peatland distribution area and carbon content in
Kalimantan, 2000–2002. Bogor, Indonesia: Wetlands International—Indonesia Programme &
Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC).
Wahyunto SR and Subagjo H. 2003. Map of Peat land Distribution Area and Carbon Content in
Sumatra. Bogor, Indonesia: Wetland International-Indonesia Program and Wildlife Habitat
Canada (WHC).
Warren MW, Kauffman JB, Murdiyarso D, Anshari G, Hergoualc'h K, Kurnianto S, Iswandi A, et al. 2012.
A cost-efficient method to assess carbon stocks in tropical peat soil. Biogeosciences,
9(11):4477-4485.
The Sustainable Wetlands Adaptation and Mitigation Program (SWAMP) is a collaborative effort by CIFOR, the USDA Forest Service, and the
Oregon State University with support from USAID.
How to cite this file
Warren, M. 2015. Peat swamp forests for adaptation: potentials and vulnerability [PowerPoint presentation]. In: SWAMP toolbox: Theme B
section B3 Retrieved from <www.cifor.org/swamp-toolbox>
Photo credit
Kottelat et al, Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, Matthew Warren/USFS, Rupesh/CIFOR-OSU, Yayan Indtriatmoko/CIFOR, ZSL Berbak.