Abstract:
Peatlands play a critical role in global habitats since are composed of heterogeneous materials and chemical reactions.
Peatland fires significantly change the chemical characteristics of its soil, such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content. This study aimed to measure peatland recovery only on those soil chemical
characteristics
based
on
two
different
times
of
sampling
that
are
five
years
(Yr+5)
and
seven
years
(Yr+7)
after
the
fires
in
2015
(taken
in
2020
and
2022).
This
study
was
conducted
in
the
Balangan
River
-
Batangalai
River
peat
hydrological
unit,
South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Soil samples were collected at nine different locations, including
are six locations in the areas that experienced fires in 2015 and three locations in the areas that did not experience
fires. Those soil samples were taken with excavated pits at each sample location at each depth of 10, 20, 30, 40 and
50 cm. This study found that the carbon content in the post-fire area increased by 22.00% and in the natural area by
9.90%. The nitrogen content in the post-fire area increased by 1.94% and in the natural area by 1.17%. The potassium
content
in
the
post-fire
areas
increased
by
16.33%
and
in
the
natural
areas
by
4.44%.
The
phosphorus
content
in
the
post-fire
area
increased
by
3.18%
and
in
the
natural
area
by
5.11%.
C/N
ratio
increased
by
19.68%
and
C/P
ratio
increased
by
18.24%.
Overall,
the
increase
in
carbon,
nitrogen,
potassium,
phosphorus,
C/N
ratio
and
C/P
ratio
in
post-fire
and
natural
peatlands
indicates
an
improved
condition.
This
study
can
provide
supporting
information
for
the regulator,
management or expertise of the land and forest rehabilitation to speed up the recovery process.
