Staff View: Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem

Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem

Peat swamp forest is a widespread ecosystem in South-east Asia, mostly occurring on flat coastal plains, although it also extends up river valleys and occurs locally in the highlands. Peat swamp forest is an important habitat for wildlife, supporting large mammals, at least 7 primate species, crocod...

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Main Authors:	Prentice, Crainford, Parish, Duncan
Format:	Journal Contribution
Language:	English
Published:	2013
Subjects:	SOL TOURBEUX TOURBE MARECAGE CONSERVATION DE LA NATURE SUELO TURBOSO TURBA PANTANO CONSERVACION DE LA NATURALEZA
Online Access:	http://agris.upm.edu.my:8080/dspace/handle/0/4749
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spelling	oai:http:--agris.upm.edu.my:0-4749Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystemPrentice, CrainfordParish, DuncanSOL TOURBEUXTOURBEMARECAGECONSERVATION DE LA NATURESUELO TURBOSOTURBAPANTANOCONSERVACION DE LA NATURALEZAPeat swamp forest is a widespread ecosystem in South-east Asia, mostly occurring on flat coastal plains, although it also extends up river valleys and occurs locally in the highlands. Peat swamp forest is an important habitat for wildlife, supporting large mammals, at least 7 primate species, crocodiles and a rich bird fauna that differs from that of dry forest types. It also supports characteristic "blackwater" fish communities. Several endangered species occur, including the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus), Malayan False Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii), White-winged Duck (Cairina scutulata) and at least 11 fish species. It is of great socio-economic importance as a hydrological regulator, playing a role in flood mitigation, water supply and buffering against saline intrusion in coastal areas. It is an important timber resource, and provides a variety of produce used by local inhabitants. Despite these values, peat swamp forest is rapidly being cleared and drained for other land-uses, especially agriculture. Much of the remaining forest has been logged over, seriously damaging the ecosystem in some cases. Peat swamp forest is seriously under-represented in the protected areas network in the Indo-Malayan Realm. Still remarkably little is known about this ecosystem: research is needed to investigate fundamental ecological questions, sustainable forestry techniques and natural hydrological processes. In view of its recognized values, our poor knowledge and the rapid rate of degradation of peat swamp forest, it is urgent that suitable areas are protected for conservation purposes. This may have to include logged-over forest to some extent. In the long term, systematic holistic planning represents the best means of achieving integrated management incorporating conservation, forestry and water management objectives. Studies involving integrated management of peat swamp forests are underway in Malaysia and Indonesia; if successful, they may encourage the wider adoption of this approach.2013-09-13T08:07:15Z2013-09-13T08:07:15Z1992Journal ContributionArticleNon-RefereedMalayan Nature Journal (Malaysia), 45 (1-4), p. 128-144http://agris.upm.edu.my:8080/dspace/handle/0/4749MY9205340en
institution	AGRIS
collection	AGRIS
language	English
topic	SOL TOURBEUX TOURBE MARECAGE CONSERVATION DE LA NATURE SUELO TURBOSO TURBA PANTANO CONSERVACION DE LA NATURALEZA
spellingShingle	SOL TOURBEUX TOURBE MARECAGE CONSERVATION DE LA NATURE SUELO TURBOSO TURBA PANTANO CONSERVACION DE LA NATURALEZA Prentice, Crainford Parish, Duncan Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem
description	Peat swamp forest is a widespread ecosystem in South-east Asia, mostly occurring on flat coastal plains, although it also extends up river valleys and occurs locally in the highlands. Peat swamp forest is an important habitat for wildlife, supporting large mammals, at least 7 primate species, crocodiles and a rich bird fauna that differs from that of dry forest types. It also supports characteristic "blackwater" fish communities. Several endangered species occur, including the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus), Malayan False Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii), White-winged Duck (Cairina scutulata) and at least 11 fish species. It is of great socio-economic importance as a hydrological regulator, playing a role in flood mitigation, water supply and buffering against saline intrusion in coastal areas. It is an important timber resource, and provides a variety of produce used by local inhabitants. Despite these values, peat swamp forest is rapidly being cleared and drained for other land-uses, especially agriculture. Much of the remaining forest has been logged over, seriously damaging the ecosystem in some cases. Peat swamp forest is seriously under-represented in the protected areas network in the Indo-Malayan Realm. Still remarkably little is known about this ecosystem: research is needed to investigate fundamental ecological questions, sustainable forestry techniques and natural hydrological processes. In view of its recognized values, our poor knowledge and the rapid rate of degradation of peat swamp forest, it is urgent that suitable areas are protected for conservation purposes. This may have to include logged-over forest to some extent. In the long term, systematic holistic planning represents the best means of achieving integrated management incorporating conservation, forestry and water management objectives. Studies involving integrated management of peat swamp forests are underway in Malaysia and Indonesia; if successful, they may encourage the wider adoption of this approach.
format	Journal Contribution
author	Prentice, Crainford Parish, Duncan
author_facet	Prentice, Crainford Parish, Duncan
author_sort	Prentice, Crainford
title	Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem
title_short	Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem
title_full	Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem
title_fullStr	Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem
title_full_unstemmed	Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem
title_sort	conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem
publishDate	2013
url	http://agris.upm.edu.my:8080/dspace/handle/0/4749
_version_	1819284104455127040
score	13.4562235

Conservation of peat swamp forest : a forgotten ecosystem

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