Measurement of carbon accumulating rate in a tropical peat swamp

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In order to evaluate the available accumulation rate in a tropical peat swamp forest, emission rate of carbon dioxide from the peat swamp forest ecosystem was measured. Also, simple and convenient method was developed to estimate carbon accumulation rate in a peat swamp forest.1. Carbon dioxide (CO_2) emission by peat and litter decomposition and by tree respiration were measured in a primary peat swamp forest of southern Thailand. The obtained emission rates from foliage, branch, stem, peat soil, litter and ponding water surface were integrated to estimate the total CO_2 emission from the forest ecosystem. On the basis of unit surface area, the branch had the greatest respiration rate among the aboveground components. However, the foliage had the greatest rate per unit ground surface area. Annual CO_2 emission from the ecosystem was estimated to 8.84 tC ha^<-1> yr^<-1> on the carbon weight basis. The breakdown of the value to each component was 6, 6, 28, 28, 18 and 14 % for stems, branches, foliage, roots, litter and peat, respectively. This indicates that emission from underground plays quite important role to assess the carbon balance of the peat swamp forest.2. Simple and convenient method to estimate carbon accumulation rate was developed. Profile of bulk density was measured in situ by Peat Probe method. Profiles of carbon content and accumulated year for sampled peat at the site were determined by NC analyzer and by Carbon isotopes, respectively. By using these profiles, profile of carbon accumulation rate was derived, which was about 1 tC/ha/year before the recent deforestation.