Land use conversion from peat swamp forest to oil palm agriculture greatly modifies microclimate and soil conditions.

ABSTRACT: Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) agriculture is rapidly expanding and requires large areas of land in the tropics to meet the global demand for palm oil products. Land cover conversion of peat swamp forest to oil palm (large- and small-scale oil palm production) is likely to have negative impacts on microhabitat conditions. This study assessed the impact of peat swamp forest conversion to oil palm plantation on microclimate conditions and soil characteristics. The measurement of microclimate (air temperature, wind speed, light intensity and relative humidity) and soil characteristics (soil surface temperature, soil pH, soil moisture, and ground cover vegetation temperature) were compared at a peat swamp forest, smallholdings and a large-scale plantation. Results showed that the peat swamp fore

SUBMITTER: Anamulai S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6796957 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature