U MINH PEATSWAMP FORESTS VIETNAM Tran Triet Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City Duong Van Ni Can Tho University
U Minh Thuong Vo Doi
Peat swamps • Hydrology: – precipitation dominated – permanently waterlogged • Geomorphological setting: – raised peats • Vegetation: – swamp forest dominated by Melaleuca cajuputi – grasslands
Cross section of U-Minh Thuong Peat dome Melaleuca forest Rain water C o Colored water l o r e d w a t e r e C Fresh water sediment A B at <3,000 yBP Pyritic sediment layer 6,000-3,000 yBP Marine sediment layer in 12,000-6,000yBP Depend on locations, the soil are Non-acid soil (A), Medium acid soil (B), and Severely acid soil (C). Fossil as shell is indicator of marine sediment; Jarosite mottles is indicator of acid soils (Pyritic materials could not see). Water come in to the area is rain water only due high elevation of peat dome.
U Minh Thuong National Park � 24,000 ha with 8000 ha core zone � One of the two peat swamp forest areas of Vietnam
grassland Peat dome grassland grassland
MIXED SWAMP FOREST
200 180 Elevation in cm (Average mean sea level) 160 Peat 140 120 100 80 60 40 Clay Water table 20 0 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 g p t v c n b r r y n l g p t v c u c a p c o e a o e u e a e u u e O J O M A M A S N D J F J A S N D 8 5 5 5 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 2 0 0 0 8 1 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 1
March – April 2003
Catastrophic fire March-April 2002
Melaleuca regeneration after fire
Daá u Euodia Melaleuca Euginia daà u Traâ m Moá p Traø m Alstonia B Buø i llex Daá u Moá p Buø i daà u C Euodia Daá u daà u Forest fire Traø m Traø m Melaleuca
Before and after fire
Biodiversity is totally depend on the disturbance of the soil environment. If peat layer was removed (fire) or digging canal to expose the pyritic materials into the air, then oxidation processes will take place and actual acid soils will occurred and biodiversity will be affected by acid water.
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