Abstract:
The relationship of palmoil plantations development with peatland characteristic until now has not been known. One reason why not a lot of available information concerning the relationship is due to the lack of studies that examine the changes in forest vegetation for palm oil plantations. This study aims to identify the characteristics of peat (physics, chemistry and biology) and evaluate the changes after undertaking as palm oil plantations in Riau Province. This study was conducted in August-October 2011 in Bengkalis and Siak Sri Indrapura Regency. The research method was survey andparameters of peatland characteristics identified are: permeability, colour, bulk density, particle density, total pore space, water levels, subsidence, peat thickness, peat maturity, depth of ground water level, pH H2O, pH KCl, C-Organic, N-Total, P available, P-Total, cation exchange capacity, Ca, Mg, K, Na , Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, base saturation, respiration and total population of soil macrofauna. The results showed that the characteristics of peatlands as the changes after undertaking as palm oil plantations are: thickness of the peat, the rate of subsidence, the depth of ground water level, pH of soil and nutrient content in the soil.
