Effect of compaction on soil CO2 and CH4 fluxes from tropical peatland in Sarawak, Malaysia

Tropical peatland stores a large amount of carbon (C) and is an important C sink. In Malaysia, about 25% the area has been converted to oil palm plantation where drainage, compaction groundwater table control are prerequisite. To date, relationship between land emission from tropical scarcely studied. understand effect on soil dioxide (CO2) methane (CH4) flux peatland, laboratory column incubation was conducted. Peat collected Mixed Swamp forest were packed in polyvinyl chloride pipes three different bulk densities (BD); 0.14 g cm–3, 0.18 cm–3 0.22 cm–3. Soil CO2 CH4 columns measured weekly basis for twelve weeks. Total porosity moisture retention each BD also determined using another set peat sample into 100 cm3 core ring. decreased while increased proportionally with increasing BD. reduced approximately by 22% compaction. On contrary, fluxes greater (P ≤ 0.05) at compacted when infiltration percolation rainwater become slower time, until becomes limiting factor. This study suggested that affects water movement gaseous transport profile, thus influences soil.