Tree species that ‘live slow, die older’ enhance tropical peat swamp restoration: evidence from a systematic review

Stuart W Smith; N Estya B Rahman; Mark E Harrison; Satomi Shiodera; Wim Geisen; Maija Lampela; David A Wardle; Kwek Yan Chong; Randi Agusti; Lahiru S Wijedasa; Pei Yun Teo; Yuti A Fatimah; Nam Thian Teng; Joanne K Q Yeo; M Jahangir Alam; Pau Brugues Sintes; Taryono Darusman; Laura Graham; Remaining authors on full text

doi:10.1111/1365-2664.14232

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Tree species that ‘live slow, die older’ enhance tropical peat swamp restoration: evidence from a systematic review

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Tree species that ‘live slow, die older’ enhance tropical peat swamp restoration: evidence from a systematic review

Stuart W Smith, N Estya B Rahman, Mark E Harrison, Satomi Shiodera, Wim Geisen, Maija Lampela, David A Wardle, Kwek Yan Chong, Randi Agusti, Lahiru S Wijedasa, …

Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol.59(8), pp.1950-1966

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14232

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Abstract

drainage

fires

kerapah

mounding

native species

Oceanic Niño Index

palms

revegetation

tropical peatland

weeding

Degraded tropical peatlands lack tree cover and are often subject to seasonal flooding and repeated burning. These harsh environments for tree seedlings to survive and grow are therefore challenging to revegetate. Knowledge on species performance from previous plantings represents an important evidence-base to help guide future tropical peat swamp forest (TPSF) restoration efforts. We conducted a systematic review of the survival and growth of tree species planted in degraded peatlands across Southeast Asia to examine: (1) species differences, (2) the impact of seedling and site treatments on survival and growth, and (3) the potential use of plant functional traits to predict seedling survival and growth rates. Planted seedling monitoring data were compiled through a systematic review of journal articles, conference proceedings, reports, theses, and unpublished datasets. In total, 94 study-sites were included, spanning three decades from 1988 to 2019, and including 141 indigenous peatland tree and palm species. Accounting for variable planting numbers and monitoring durations, we analysed three measures of survival and growth: (1) final survival weighted by the number of seedlings planted, (2) half-life, i.e., duration until 50% mortality, and (3) relative growth rates (RGR) corrected for initial planting height of seedlings. Average final survival was 62% and half-life was 33 months across all species, sites and treatments. Species differed significantly in survival and half-life. Seedling and site treatments had small effects with the strongest being higher survival of mycorrhizal fungi inoculated seedlings; lower survival, half-life and RGR when shading seedlings; and lower RGR and higher survival when fertilising seedlings. Leaf nutrient and wood density traits predicted TPSF species survival, but not half-life and RGR. RGR and half-life were negatively correlated, meaning that slower growing species survived for longer. Synthesis and applications: To advance tropical peat swamp reforestation requires expanding the number and replication of species planted and testing treatments by adopting control vs. treatment experimental designs. Species selection should involve slower growing species (e.g., Lophopetalum rigidum, Alstonia spatulata, Madhuca motleyana) that survive for longer and explore screening species based on functional traits associated with nutrient acquisition, flooding tolerance, and recovery from fire.

Details

Title: Tree species that ‘live slow, die older’ enhance tropical peat swamp restoration: evidence from a systematic review
Authors: Stuart W Smith (Corresponding Author) - Nanyang Technological University
N Estya B Rahman (Author) - Nanyang Technological University
Mark E Harrison (Author) - University of Exeter
Satomi Shiodera (Author) - Nanzan University
Wim Geisen (Author) - Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Maija Lampela (Author) - National University of Singapore
David A Wardle (Author) - Nanyang Technological University
Kwek Yan Chong (Author) - National University of Singapore
Randi Agusti (Author) - National University of Singapore
Lahiru S Wijedasa (Author) - National University of Singapore
Pei Yun Teo (Author) - Nanyang Technological University
Yuti A Fatimah (Author) - Nanyang Technological University
Nam Thian Teng (Author) - University of Oxford
Joanne K Q Yeo (Author) - Nanyang Technological University
M Jahangir Alam (Author) - University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
Pau Brugues Sintes (Author) - Borneo Nature Foundation International (Cornwall, UK)
Taryono Darusman (Author) - PT Rimba Makmur Utama (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Laura Graham (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
Remaining authors on full text (Author)
Publication details: Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol.59(8), pp.1950-1966
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Date published: 2022
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14232
ISSN: 1365-2664; 0021-8901
Copyright note: © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Applied Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Organisation Unit: Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99646278502621
Output Type: Journal article