Carbon sequestration in Southeast Asian tropical peatlands over the Holocene period: large-scale hydrological controls
Abstract
Tropical peatlands are recognized as a significant sink of carbon dioxide and an important source of methane. Low latitude peatlands contain an estimated pool of 90 Pg C, of which ca. 70 Pg C is stored in Southeast Asian peatlands. However, the Holocene development of this carbon reservoir is poorly established. Here we provide a synthesis of carbon uptake rates by tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia across millennial timescales for the past 11,000 years. Our reconstruction of the carbon accumulation history for Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia is based on a synthesis of radiocarbon dated peat profiles, modeling of peatland extent, and a new carbon accumulation record from Brunei (NW-Borneo). During the early Holocene the first peatlands formed in southern Borneo under the influence of a strong monsoon and rapid rise in sea-level. The carbon accumulation rate (CAR) in these peatlands was on average 60 g C m-2 yr-1 at this time. Peatlands started to spread across the coastal lowlands of Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia after 8000 cal BP only when the rate of rising sea-level decreased. The major phase of coastal peatland initiation lasted from 7000 to 4000 cal BP. This period was marked by a Holocene precipitation maximum, suppressed El Niño activity, and the Holocene maximum in sea-level on the Sunda Shelf. The mean CAR of coastal peatlands at this time was 80 g C m-2 yr-1, with a Holocene peak of ~100 g C m-2 yr-1 from 4900 to 4500 cal BP. Significantly, atmospheric CO2 concentrations measured in the Taylor Dome Antarctic ice core indicate a plateau during this period of otherwise rising CO2 concentrations. During the Late Holocene CAR declined both in coastal peatlands (ca. 70 g C m-2 yr-1) and in southern Borneo (ca. 20 g C m-2 yr-1) in response to falling sea-levels and increased El Niño frequency and intensity. In fact, several peatlands in southern Borneo have stopped accumulating peat-carbon under higher El Niño activity. These results support the hypothesis that the water table elevation and not temperature is the primary control of the carbon balance of tropical peatlands. The period of fastest peatland expansion and highest CAR was the wettest period in the Holocene with the lowest hydraulic gradient imposed by the highstand in sea-level. The period with the lowest and nearly quiescent CAR was associated with higher drought stress and a steeper hydraulic gradient, implying lower water tables. The remarkably high carbon sequestration rates of Southeast Asian peatlands can be explained by the high production of woody biomass throughout the year under waterlogged conditions. Woody organic matter is principally resistant to decomposition in an anaerobic setting causing rapid rates of carbon accumulation as long as the water table remains high. Increased drought severity, possibly in association with changes in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation under a warmer future climate could potentially switch Southeast Asian carbon sequestering peatlands to carbon sources.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.B21G..01D
- Keywords:
-
- 0426 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Biosphere/atmosphere interactions;
- 0428 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Carbon cycling;
- 1615 GLOBAL CHANGE / Biogeochemical cycles;
- processes;
- and modeling;
- 9320 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION / Asia