Tropi’s breakthrough peatland research presented at American Geophysical Union meeting advances climate understanding, net-zero goals

Lulie (second right) together with the three research officers during 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in San Francisco, United States of America.

KUCHING, Dec 16: Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (Tropi) presented groundbreaking scientific poster at the 2023 annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in San Francisco, United States of America that took place from Dec 11 to 15.

According to a media release by Tropi yesterday (Dec 15), the presentation was one of three scientific presentations delivered by a team of key personnel, including director Datu Dr Lulie Melling and three research officers namely Dr Ken Wong Guan Xhuan, Yazid Imran Muhammad Faizul, and Agusten Rabar Ajok.

Ken’s presentation, titled “Effect of Land Use Change on Methane Emissions in a Tropical Peatland of Sarawak, Malaysia”, showcased a pioneering study involving precise measurements of methane flux over a seven-year period.

The study, conducted before and after the establishment of a plantation on tropical peatland, utilised an eddy covariance tower to provide insights into the environmental consequences of land-use change.

Yazid presented another scientific poster titled “Evaluation of Machine Learning Methods to Model Net Ecosystem Carbon Dioxide Exchange in a Tropical Peat Swamp Forest.”

This preliminary work employed data-driven machine learning methods to predict carbon emission data collected over seven years with aim to develop a robust model capable of predicting greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands at a larger scale.

Agusten’s scientific poster, “Long-term Hydrological Dynamics of the Tropical Peatlands of Sarawak, Malaysia,” delved into the critical aspect of peat soil moisture.

The research compared peat soil moisture data collected over 12 years in an undrained peat forest and an oil palm plantation on peatland, assessing the results in relation to soil bulk density and the depth of the water table. This comprehensive analysis promises insights into improved peat management practices, particularly in preventing peat fires and haze.

Tropi’s active participation in the AGU annual meeting underscores its commitment to advancing research and promoting environmental sustainability. The outcomes of these studies have far-reaching implications for the global community’s understanding of climate change and contribute to achieving the net-zero emissions target by 2050. — DayakDaily