Peat swamp forest

A waterlogged tropical forest growing on deep deposits of partially decayed plant material. Its peat stores large amounts of carbon and shapes the forest’s nutrient-poor, acidic conditions.

Peat: Partially decomposed plant material that accumulates in waterlogged conditions faster than it decays. Its deep accumulation forms the forest’s carbon-rich substrate.
Tropical rainforest: A forest ecosystem in a tropical region with high rainfall and warm temperatures. Peat swamp forest is a waterlogged, peat-forming type of tropical forest.
Peatland drainage: The removal of water from peat soils, commonly through canals or ditches. Drainage for agriculture or forestry dries peat and changes forest conditions.
Tropical peatland: A tropical landscape where waterlogged conditions allow partially decomposed plant material to accumulate as peat. Peat swamp forests are wooded ecosystems within this broader peat-forming landscape.
Great Northern Peat Swamp Forest: A large peat swamp forest in southern Thailand, including areas around Thale Noi. It is a notable mainland Southeast Asian example of peat swamp forest.
Water table: The upper level of groundwater in soil or rock. A high water table limits oxygen and slows the decay of plant material.
Ombrotrophic peatland: A peatland nourished mainly by rain rather than mineral-rich groundwater or surface water. Rain-fed peat can become especially acidic and nutrient-poor.
Oil palm cultivation: The commercial production of oil palm fruit for edible and industrial oils. Plantations have replaced and fragmented peat swamp forests in parts of Southeast Asia.
Peatland carbon storage: The long-term accumulation of carbon in partially decomposed organic matter within peat soils. Deep peat makes these forests substantial carbon stores when left wet and undisturbed.
Sebangau National Park: A protected area in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, established to conserve peat swamp forest. Its forest and peatlands illustrate conservation challenges in Indonesian Borneo.

Linked from 6 pages