Structural and Composition Changes of Peat Swampeat Forests Using Remote Sensing and Ecological Approaches at the Abandoned Peat Development Site in Central Kalimantan Province

Peatland project of one million hectares to agricultural land between 1995 and 1998, the so-called Mega Rice Project (MRP) in Central Kalimantan province, have significantly changed both structure and composition of peat swamp forest (PSF) as well as the balance of ecological functions. These quick...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Raden Mas Sukarna
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas Gadjah Mada 2013-07-01
Series:Jurnal Ilmu Kehutanan
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/jikfkt/article/view/7531
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Summary:Peatland project of one million hectares to agricultural land between 1995 and 1998, the so-called Mega Rice Project (MRP) in Central Kalimantan province, have significantly changed both structure and composition of peat swamp forest (PSF) as well as the balance of ecological functions. These quick changes have not been fully followed by real evaluation activities due to large area and limited access. To answer these problems, this study aimed to estimate these changes between 2003 and 2010 using remote sensing techniques and ecological approach on approximately 368,000 ha of ex-MRP area. The results showed that the application of remote sensing imagery through Forest Canopy Density (FCD) models were able to determine both forest classification and distribution effectively, including its ecological conditions. The natural and sub-natural PSF area had decreased by 1.49%, semi natural and its transition increased by 3.69%. Non natural and its transition increased by 4.39%. These facts illustrate that PSF on ex-MRP area was decreasing in term of its endemic species diversity with index between 0.5 and 2.5. Consequently, its ecological or ecosystem functions were also unstable.
ISSN:0126-4451
2477-3751