Coastal Wetland Soil Ecosystems in Southeast Asia : Their Characteristics and Use Potential

本研究项目始于1988年，目的是调查东南亚岛屿地区的土地利用状况及其对沿海环境资源的影响，那里的沿海景观主要是红树林和沼泽林，以及相应的黄铁矿沉积物和木质泥炭。本研究项目的目标是：(1)追踪沼泽林开垦引起的生态条件的变化，(2)寻找保护开垦泥炭地的措施。这项研究是在人与生物圈计划的区域合作框架内与泰国和马来西亚的研究人员合作进行的。泰国那拉提瓦周围地区和马来西亚柔佛的蓬田和沙捞越的Sibu被选为研究地点。主要研究成果如下：a)气球摄影植被图，b)森林生态学，c)土壤和水化学，d)土壤生物和土壤呼吸，d)作物营养，阐明了沼泽林的结构及其养分循环，热带泥炭的物理和化学特征，泥炭的分解速率及其对围垦后地面沉降和养分释放的贡献等。泥炭分解过程中产生的酚类化合物和微量营养素的缺乏被认为是泥炭作物不育和表现不佳的原因。

The present research project was initiated in 1988 to look into the land use situation and its impact on the coastal environmental resources in insular southeast Asia, where mangroves and swamp forests, and correspondingly pyritic sediments and woody peat, dominate in the coastal landscape. The objectives of the present research project were ;(1) to trace the changes in the ecological condition incurred by reclamation of swamp forest, and(2) to find out measures to Make a conservational LISE of a reclaimed peat land.The research was carried out in cooperation with Thai and Malaysian researchers in the framework of MAB regional cooperation. The area around Narathiwat in Thailand and those around Pontian, Johore, and Sibu, Sarawak, in Malaysia were chosen as the research sites. Major findings of the research are summarized below :The following items of research were taken up by the project team :a) Balloon photography for vegetation mapping,b) Forest ecology,c) Soil and water chemistry,d) Soil organisms and soil respiration, ande) Crop nutrition.As a result, the followings were elucidated ; the structure of swamp forest and its nutrient cycling, physical and chemical characteristics of tropical peat, the rate of peat decomposition and its contribution to land subsidence and nutrient release after reclamation, and so forth. Phenolic compounds evolved in the peat decomposition process and micronutrient deficiencies were considered responsible for sterility and poor performance of crops growing on peat.