Methane and carbon dioxide production and emission pathways in the belowground and draining water bodies of a tropical peatland plantation forest

Taillardat, Pierre ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0195-3690; Moore, Jared; Sasmito, Sigit; Evans, Chris D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7052-354X; Alfina, Tiara ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8304-0444; Lok, Sophie; Bandla, Aditya ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3487-8052; Cahya, Muhardianto; Deshmukh, Chandra S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2660-4315; Dubey, Rama Kant; Kurnianto, Sofyan; Swarup, Sanjay; Tarigan, Suria ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0153-0399; Taufik, Muh ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3952-6010; Lupascu, Massimo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0416-629X; Taylor, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6098-5636. 2025 Methane and carbon dioxide production and emission pathways in the belowground and draining water bodies of a tropical peatland plantation forest. Geophysical Research Letters, 52 (4), e2024GL112903. 11, pp. 10.1029/2024GL112903

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112903

Abstract/Summary

Peatlands are crucial yet vulnerable carbon stores. Here, we investigated carbon biogeochemical processes in tropical peatlands converted to plantations. We measured carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) concentrations, stable isotope ratios and radiocarbon content in an experimental Acacia crassicarpa plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia. We found exceptionally high levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), CO2, and CH4 in porewater and drainage networks, indicating that Acacia plantations are carbon hotspots due to their high productivity and exposed carbon-dense substrates. Stable isotope models revealed that while CO2 and CH4 are produced belowground, CH4 contribution was lower than in natural undrained peatlands. Radiocarbon analysis suggested that remobilized carbon contributed to the carbon pool, with a median age of ∼470 years before present. These findings constrain the links between land-use, water table levels, and carbon dynamics, with implications for carbon management in plantation peatlands.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1029/2024GL112903
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Land-Atmosphere Interactions (2025-)
ISSN:	0094-8276
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	carbon dioxide, methane, land-use change, wetlands, climate change mitigation, stable isotopes
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Related URLs:	Dataset Dataset
Date made live:	21 Feb 2025 14:21 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/538942

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1029/2024GL112903

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Land-Atmosphere Interactions (2025-)

ISSN:

0094-8276

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

carbon dioxide, methane, land-use change, wetlands, climate change mitigation, stable isotopes