Studies on Peat in the Coastal Plains of Sumatra and Borneo: Part III: Micromorphological Study of Peat in Coastal Plains of Jambi, South Kalimantan and Brunei

Abstract

The micromorphology of peats was studied in order to characterize the various stages of decomposition and to describe the overall change of organic matter after deposition. The fallen plant materials consist of leaves, wood blocks, branches and twigs, and they are categorized as litter. Several microfabrics, including fibric, hemic and sapric materials, occur in the course of decomposition. Fibric material is characterized by tissues of recognizable botanical origin, while the hemic and sapric materials are characterized by mainly unrecognizable tissues. Peats covered by dense forest are mostly characterized by fibric peat in the bottom layer, which is mainly derived from ferns and grasses. In the upper layers these peats are commonly hemic or sapric peats containing many wood blocks derived from the former vegetation. In cultivated areas, thin peat layers are categorized as sapric peats. The macro- and microorganisms attacking the plant debris control the process of micromorphological change of organic matter and hasten the decomposition of fallen-plant materials. However, the degree of decomposition of peats is closely related to the water contents of organic materials.