Validation of Environmental Impact on Human-Induced Disturbance of Wetland Ecosystems

Validation of Environmental Impact on Human-Induced Disturbance of Wetland Ecosystems

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University
SHIODERA, Satomi

A wetland is a lowland submerged by fresh water or sea water, either periodically or due to flooding. Because its soil is saturated with water frequently or for a long period of time, vegetation growing on the soil exhibits special adaptation. In Southeast Asia, forests such as mangrove forests, brackish wetland forests, fresh water wetland forests, and peat wetland forests, are found in both coastal to inland regions as natural vegetation. Because these wetland ecosystems are maintained by a delicate balance between living and non-living things, they are more vulnerable than other ecosystems, and disturbances due to human activities such as development are noticeable. Of the types of wetland forests in Southeast Asia, tropical peat wetland forests occupying vast areas can be found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei; they are considered important ecosystems due to their extensiveness. Because special environments such as strongly acidic oligotrophic wetlands are not suitable for agriculture, they play critical roles, from being great carbon reservoirs to being cradles of biodiversity. However, due to advances in agricultural technology, peat wetland forests are being destroyed to develop their land into oil palm and acacia plantations. Their ecological functions are rapidly being lost. In recent years, the problem of peat wetland forests releasing great amounts of carbon dioxide, contrary to their role as carbon reservoirs, has been observed. This research focuses on wetland ecosystems and seeks to understand from an ecological perspective how human activities have affected these ecosystems and how they will change in the future.

The speed at which peat wetland forests is being destroyed differs tremendously from country to country, and does each country’s response. In recent years, peat fires have become a major environmental problem in Indonesia. They not only destroy ecosystems, but also harm the health of local people and those in neighboring countries due to smoke pollution. In Malaysia, meanwhile, while damage from peat fires is not found, almost all peat wetland forests are being developed as oil palm plantations, and forests are fragmenting and deteriorating. Peat wetland forests distributed in Brunei are extremely small, and to date their natural conditions have been maintained. I participated in a research team with members from the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University. We conducted field surveys of peat wetland forests in Brunei. I also wrote a review of research literature related to environmental issues of peat wetland forests in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Furthermore, I am currently writing an article that sheds light on environmental factors that determine the type of grassland vegetation growing on peat fire sites in Indonesia.