Losses of dissolved organic carbon from natural and degraded tropical peatlands in Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia

There are over 27 million hectares (Mha) of peatlands in South East Asia that is approximately equivalent to a land area the size of the British Isles. Of this, 83% (22.5 Mha) is in Indonesia making the country of huge interest when looking at losses of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) from tropical peatlands. Three sites of differing land cover (natural, deforested, and burned) are the subject of investigation in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Dry season sampling is complete (June-August ’08) and wet season sampling is currently in progress (Feb-Apr ’09). Water samples are subject to quantitative and qualitative analysis and final DOC fluxes calculated for areas of differing land cover. Studies on temperate wetlands have demonstrated that sources, sinks, and the transport of DOC are a function of a complex set of interrelated biotic and abiotic processes. This project will provide the first detailed investigation of these functions and processes for tropical peatland catchments subject to a variety of land uses and differing levels of degradation. In a separate study, water samples are taken from the Sebangau River every three kilometres from the source to the mouth, 150 km downstream to determine how DOC concentrations vary with time and space