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SUMMARY: “Swamped! The trials and tribulations of tropical peatland scie
 nce” - Professor Susan Page\, Department of Geography\, University of Le
 icester
DTSTART:20161208T161500Z
DTEND:20161208T180000Z
UID:TALK67144@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:45781
DESCRIPTION:Peatlands are important terrestrial carbon stores and vital co
 mponents of global carbon soil-atmosphere exchange processes. In this rega
 rd\, tropical peatlands are important because they are some of the planet
 ’s most carbon-dense ecosystems. Knowledge of the extent of tropical pea
 tlands across the globe is still uncertain\, nevertheless there is growing
  recognition of their significance for biodiversity support\, carbon stora
 ge\, climate mitigation and other ecosystem services and of the ecological
  and biogeochemical consequences of land use change. In Southeast Asia\, w
 here the largest area of tropical peatland is located\, there is almost no
  intact peat swamp forest remaining. \n\nOver the last two decades\, rapid
  socio-economic development has been accompanied by the transformation of 
 vast areas into plantations producing palm oil and pulpwood\, while remnan
 t fragments of forested peatland have been degraded by logging\, drainage 
 and fire. Simultaneous with these developments\, scientific knowledge of t
 he consequences of peatland development has strengthened\, providing a nar
 rative that links the deforestation and drainage of peatlands to: loss of 
 carbon storage potential\; high emissions of greenhouse gases\; increased 
 risk of fire\, resulting in extreme air pollution episodes that adversely 
 impact on human health and economic activity\; increased risk of flooding\
 ; loss of habitat for vulnerable\, rare and endemic species\; and reduced 
 human livelihood opportunities. My talk will review this scientific narrat
 ive using examples from my own research journey to explore the disjunct be
 tween those promoting the benefits of short-term socio-economic developmen
 t against those advocating for longer-term maintenance of ecosystem resili
 ence. \n\nIt concludes by outlining recent opportunities for improved peat
 land management practices that attempt to integrate scientific\, land use 
 practice and policy aspirations to mitigate negative ecological and econom
 ic consequences of peatland development.
LOCATION:Small Lecture Theatre\, Department of Geography\, Downing Site
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