Effect of repeated fires on land-cover change on peatland in southern Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, from 1973 to 2005

Fire plays an increasingly important role in deforestation and degradation of carbon-dense tropical peatlands in South-east Asia. In this study, analysis of a time-series of satellite images for the period 1973-2005 showed that repeated, extensive fires, following drainage and selective logging, played an important role in land-cover dynamics and forest loss in the peatlands of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. A study of peatlands in the former Mega Rice Project area revealed a rising trend in the rate of deforestation and identified fire as the principal factor influencing subsequent vegetation succession. A step change in fire regime was identified, with an increase in burned area and fire frequency following peatland drainage. During the 23-year pre-Mega Rice Project period (1973-1996), peat swamp forest was the most extensive land-cover class and fires were of relatively limited extent, with very few repeated fires. During the 9-year post-Mega Rice Project period (1997-2005), there was a 72% fire-related loss in area of peat swamp forest, with most converted to non-woody vegetation, dominated by ferns or mosaics of trees and non-woody vegetation, rather than cultivated land.