Carbon storage of the Caimpugan peatland in Agusan marsh, Philippines and its role in greenhouse gas mitigation

Globally, peatlands are considered to have a high potential in mitigating climate change, but no study has been done in the Philippines. This study estimated the amount of stored C in the Caimpugan peatland and determined its role in mitigating GHG emission, classified the peatland soils, evaluated the environmental disturbances that threaten the peatland integrity and determined the perceptions of stakeholders to its ecosystem functions and services. Integrative environmental methodologies were used. The aboveground C stocks were measured in standing trees, understorey and herbaceous vegetation and litter and belowground C stocks in peat soils at different horizons of Tall Pole Forest, Intermediate Forest and the Pygmy Forest covers in two locations within the peatland. Non-destructive sampling was done for trees 5 cm dbh using allometric equation (Brown, 1997). The carbon contents of the understorey and herbaceous vegetation and litters were estimated by multiplying oven dried biomass by 45%. Total soil organic carbon was determined using Flash Elemental Analyzer 1112 Series Carbon Analyzer. A two way ANOVA was used to compare estimated stored C among selected vegetation types with location as the replication. The estimated aboveground C stock of Caimpugan peatland in Agusan Marsh was 22.8 million tons of C within its 5,487 hectare peatland. The estimated mean belowground C stock (4,659.06 tC/ha) was much higher than the mean aboveground C stock (52.53 + C/ha). Caimpugan peat soils are classified as Typic Troposaprists and C emissions occurred during its formation. Anthropogenic disturbances were more dominant than the natural factors that threaten the sustainability of ecosystems service on C sequestration. This ecosystem service was least recornized by the stakeholders of peatland. Environmental science based management options were recommended for environmental sustainability of this peatland.