A Study of Floral Composition of Peat Soil in the Lower Title Batang Hari River Basin of Jambi, Sumatra(
Author(s) Supiandi, Sabiham; Furukawa, Hisao
Citation 東南アジア研究 (1986), 24(2): 113-132
Issue Date 1986-09
URL http://hdl.handle.net/2433/56242
Right
Type Journal Article
Textversion publisher
Kyoto University Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 24, No.2, September 1986
Problem Soils in Southeast Asia
A Study of Floral Composition of Peat Soil in the Lower Batang Han River Basin of Jambi, Sumatra
SUPIANDI Sabiham* and FURUKAWA Hisao**
Abstract Pollen diagrams have been prepared of three sections of peat soil deposits from differ ent localities on the coastal swampy land of J ambi in order to study the vegetational change from the basal clay to the present-day forest. The age of peat soil deposits was determined by 14C dating of peat layers. The existence of arboreal and non-arboreal pollen types in the main portion of the peat soil deposits in the study area indicates the change from fern association in the bottom layer to the swamp forest in the upper layer. However, the floral composition of these soils indicates a difference in environment between the center zone and the zone transitional to the coastal zone. In the center zone of the Kumpeh area, the peat swamp was inundated by fresh water in all layers, which are characterized by an abundance of ferns in the bottom layer, by many kinds of arboreal pollen types in the upper layer, and by a uniform pollen type between these layers. In the center zone of the Tanjung area, the peat swamp was inundated by fresh water in the upper layer and brackish water in the bottom layer. In the zone transitional to the coastal zone the peat swamp was inundated by brackish water in all layers. The floral composition of peat soil inundated by brackish water is mostly derived from mangrove vegetation. Peat accumulation in the study area is thought to be related to water inundation during the transgression period.
part of J ambi Province. The soils in this area consist generally of alluvial soil and Introduction peat soil. The coastal swampy lands of the lower Since 1974, the first author has been Batang Hari river basin of Jambi cover involved in research into the development more than 12,400 sq. km and comprise of tidal swamp lands of Jambi and South 23.2 percent of the land surface of this Sumatra Provinces to study the ecology of coastal swampy areas. In 1983, he * Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural researched peat soil deposits in the Kumpeh, University, Indonesia; Faculty of Agriculture, Tanjung and Berbak Delta areas of Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, J ambi, and the results were submitted Kyoto 606, Japan ** 11JI1 ?\.it. The Center for Southeast Asian as a M. S. thesis to Kyoto University Studies, Kyoto University [Supiandi 1985]. N ow the authors are
113 interested in the pollen content of peat soil the vegetational change from the basal deposits in connection with their research clay to the present-day forest of the study into the floral composition of peat soil ia area on the basis of pollen analysis. The the lower Batang Hari river basin of Jambi, stratigraphy and geomorphology of the Sumatra. The location of the study area study area are also presented in order to is presented in Fig. L distinguish the peat accumulations. Peat swamps in this area are mostly ofthe woody-peat type, having acid reaction and a Materials and Methods wide range from eutrophic to oligotrophic peats [t"bt"d.]. These peat soils have been Ft'eld Study deposited since the terrestrial soils on the The planned study area was plotted on Pleistocene terrace were trans formed into the sheet of Series 1501 (G) Jambi-Sumatra fluviatile swampy soils. Soepraptohardjo and map (1 : 250,000) in order to decide the Driessen [1976] suggested that the swampy location of transects through distinct area located between the vaguely defined vegetation types and to plan soil borings river levees became successively covered along the transects of up to six meters in with mangrove and swamp forest vegetation, depth. The study area consists geographi which built up thick, dome-shaped forma cally of the Kumpeh, Tanjung, and Berbak tions of ombrogenous lowland peat. Delta areas. These areas were surveyed The objective of this paper is to describe by the authors from October 9 to November 22, 1983 with the assis
100' 105' tance of 10 laborers. Ob servations and measure ments on soil properties O' were made at intervals of 0.5 to 2.0 km along the transects in order to study the stratigraphy and geo
~ Sipora morphology ofthese areas.
North h N To study the fossil pol Pagai ~:.ssau lsi. len in connection with South Pa$ai.• the history of plant com Java Sea munIties, samples were collected from layers at o 50. 100 150 200km 5' several observation points ~ The AreiJ ~EngganO using the sub-sampling StUdied method, for which two centimeter-thick samples Fig. 1 Location of the Area Studied (after Supiandi [1985]) were taken from each soil
114 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra
sample in plastic pipes at 10-centimeter levels in ver Berhala Strait tical sequence. To study the age of peat soil depos its, samples were collected from layers at different observation points. Fig. 2 shows the soil sampling sites.
\ Laboratory Expert'ment \ The fossil pollen grains \ " and spores in the soil sam "\ \ ples were investigated by
,o 5. 2~. pollen analysis in order to LEGEND reconstruct the floral com
T-I: Transect NO.1 of the position. The Erdtman Berbak Delta Area. method [Brown 1960J, T-2: Transect NO.2 of the which was modified by Tanjung Area. Takeoka (Kyoto Prefec T-3: Transect No.3 of the Kumpeh Area. tural University), was used for extraction of fos •; Soil Sampl\n'i sil pollen in the soil sam Fi~. 2 The Location of the Transects and Soil Sampling for Pollen ples. For reference, mod Analysis and Carbon Dating ern pollen samples were collected from the Her barium Bogoriense. The modern pollen was ex tracted by the Jimbo method [ibt'd.J, For this study, we also used the other references of pollen ~ Peat Soil ~ Delta Topset ~ Terrestrial Soil and spore types described EJ Sand Beach [2;J Mud Clay 63 Clay Deposits Alternating with Fine Sand by Anderson and Muller IBIII Pleistocene Terrace I. Kumpeh River; 2. Bangso Village; 3. Rantau Panjang E§I Tidal Flat Deposits Village: 4. Batang Hari River; 5. Dendang River; 6. [1975J, Huang [1972J and Telukbuan Village; 7. Batang Hari River; 8. Lambur. Village; 9. Simburnaik Village. Kremp and Kawasaki [1972]. Fi~. 3 The Stratigraphy and Geomorphology of the Study Area in Cross-section from Bangso to Simburnaik (after Furukawa and Supiandi [1985])
115 consisting of imperfectly drained clay soils which are generally derived from General Description of the terrestrial soil. Study Area 3. Zone transitional to coastal zone. Stratigraphy and Geomorphology (6) Successive terrestrial soils have devel The area under investigation is situated oped from fluvial deposits on the terrace in eastern Jambi, Sumatra and is bounded surface. (7) Mangrove deposits directly on the north by the Berhala Strait, on the covering the terrace surface are most west by the Batang Hari and Dendang widely distributed. (8) Another sedimen rivers, and on the east and south by the tary phase indicates mangrove to have Batang Berbak, Batang Hari and Kumpeh intruded much later on the peat-capped rivers (Fig. 2). This area forms part of the terrace. (9) The natural levees have eastern coastal plain of Sumatra, which developed along the streams which flow was previously located on a Pleistocene through former mangrove deposits. (10) terrace. The stratigraphy and geomor Former beach ridges often outcrop. phology of the study area in a cross-section 4. Coastal zone with fish-bone channel from Bangso village (near to the Kumpeh networks. This area has been exploited by river) to Simburnaik village (near to the local people. (11) Thick sand ridges are sea) were described by Furukawa and advancing offshore, and (12) mangrove Supiandi [1985] (Fig. 3). The five zones deposits have developed on tidal flat. and 15 stratigraphic types distributed The present surface is covered by humifer successively from inland to the coast in ous clay and sometimes thin peat soil. this area were as follows below. (13) A narrow mangrove belt covers the 1. Zone transitional to the middle reaches. present coastline. Terrestrial soils have developed on the (1) 5. Remnant hill isolated from the middle low terrace, (2) meandering scars, and (3) reaches. This was an island during the natural levee along the Kumpeh river. period of high sea level in the past. (14) 2. Central zone covered by swamp forest. Hillslopes are covered by brush, rubber This area is mostly (4) peat-capped terrace. gardens and fruit trees. (15) Shallow During the post-Glacial period, when the valley bottoms are utilized for bush-fallow sea level rose, the terrace surface with cultivation of wet rice in the rainy season. terrestrial soils is supposed to have been transformed into fluviatile swampy lands. The Present Vegeta#on Ombrogenous peat plains were then The vegetation of an area is a reflection developed, sometimes exceeding six meters. of the interaction of several environmental The periphery contains an admixture of factors. Vegetation types have to be fluvial deposits from the meandering river determined since they are directly related to course. (5) Natural levees are less devel the soil. Thus, the characteristics of the oped along the Batang Hari river, dominant species can be used to predict
116 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra
Table 1 List of Species Found in the Study Area· Genus No. Name of Species Location Tree Species 1. Act-inodaphne macrophylla Center zone of Kumpeh area A. sphaerocarpa Center zone of Kumpeh area 2. Aglaia argentea Center zone of Kumpeh area A. trimera Center zone of Kumpeh area 3. Alseodaphne inszgnis Center zone of Kumpeh area 4. Alstonia pneumatophora Zone transitional to coastal zone 5. Antz"desma spicatum Zone transitional to coastal zone 6. Barringtonia sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area 7. Callophyllum sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area 8. Commersonia bartramia Center zone of Kumpeh area 9. Cratoxyllum sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area 10. Cryptocarya Mcolor Center zone of Kumpeh area 11. Cynometra ramiflora Zone transitional to coastal zone 12. Dacryodes rugosa Center zone of Kumpeh area 13. Diospyros argentea Center zone of Kumpeh area D. buxzfolia Center zone of Kumpeh area D. malabarica Center zone of Kumpeh area D. polyalthzOoides Center zone of Kumpeh area D. ngida Center zone of Kumpeh area D. sub-rhomboidea Center zone of Kumpeh area D. sumatrana Center zone of Kumpeh area 14. Elaeocarpus cf. paniculatus Center zone of Kumpeh area E. glaber Center zone of Kumpeh area 15. Eucalyptus sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area 16. Eugem"a sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area E. acuminatt"sszOma Center zone of Kumpeh area E. clavamyrtus Center zone of Kumpeh area E. clavzflora Center zone of Kumpeh area E. curranit" Zone transitional to coastal zone E. jamboloides Zone transitional to coastal zone E. laxzftora Center zone of Kumpeh area E. zippeHana Zone transitional to coastal zone 17. Euphoria cf. cht"nensis Zone transitional to coastal zone 18. Garcim'a gandz"chandit" Center zone of Kumpeh area 19. Knema conferta Zone transitional to coastal zone K. tomentella Center zone of Kumpeh area 20. Lepisanthes amoena Center zone of Kumpeh area L. tetraphylla Center zone of Kumpeh area 21. M acaranga sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area 22. Myrzstica maxima Center zone of Kumpeh area 23. Nephelz"um sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area 24. Phaenanthus sumatranus Center zone of Kumpeh area
117 Genus Name of Species Location No. 25. Polyaltlzz'a latenJlora Center zone of Kumpeh area P. longzjolt:a Center zone of Kumpeh area P. subcordata Center zone of Kumpeh area P. sumatrana Center zone of Kumpeh area 26. Pomet£a pinnata Center zone of Kumpeh area 27. Pternandra caerulescens Center zone of Kumpeh area P. rostrata Center zone of Kumpeh area 28. Pterospermum cordzjolt:um Center zone of Kumpeh area 29. Quassia sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area 30. San#ria laevigata Zone transitional to coastal zone S. oblangifolia Center zone of Kumpeh area S. tomentosa Center zone of Kumpeh area 31. Scaphium macropodum Zone transitional to coastal zone 32. Shorea sp. Center zone of Kumpeh area S.ovalis Center zone of Kumpeh area 33. Timonius sp. 'Center zone of Kumpeh area 34. Xanthophyllum eurhychum Center zone of Kumpeh area 35. Xylopz'a mayana Center zone of Kumpeh area 36. Zizyphus elegans Center zone of Kumpeh area Grasses 37. Cyperus platystylt:a Zone transitional to coastal zone 38. Panz'cum incomtum Zone transitional to coastal zone Shrubs 39. Connarus semicondrus Zone transitional to coastal zone 40. Lasianthus constn:ctus Center zone of Kumpeh area 41. Lucz'naea montana Center zone of Kumpeh area 42. Tarenna fragrans Center zone of Kumpeh area Herbs 43. Blumea balsamzjera Zone transitional to coastal zone 44. Fimbrzstylt:squinquangulan's Zone transitional to coastal zone 45. Jus#cz'a marit£ana Zone transitional to coastal zone 46. Labz'sia pumila Center zone of Kumpeh area
Fern 47. Acros#chum aureum Zone transitional to coastal zone
• Collected by H. Furukawa and Erizal. The specimens were identified by staff members of Herbarium Bogoriense. which environmental factors are important mangrove forest, and of herbaceous swamp. in the area. Mangrove Forest The vegetation types In the study area In some places In the study area, the consist of swamp forest vegetation charac mangrove forest is rarely or not developed terized by evergreen seasonal forest, of because the inhabitants farmed the lands,
118 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil i~ Jambi, Sumatra especially for paddy and coconut. These Nipa sp. The presence of this vegetation areas are characterized by the existence of demonstrates that the area frequently fish-bone-like channel networks. However, influenced by tidal action. in the area along the river estuaries on and Swamp Forest Vegetation behind the levees, where the soil is In the swamp forest of the study area, characterized by soft mud clay which many important species were found in the never dries out completely, Rhz"zophora sp. center zone. Many kinds of trees and normally dominates. At the margin or shrubs grow well, making this swamp where the forest is a little more open, the forest evergreen, tall and profusely-leaved. fern Acrostichum sp. may occur in the The zone transitional to the coastal zone undergrowth. was also been covered by swamp forest In the area near to sea, Avicennia sp. until recently, and is now being opened by grows well on more clayey and settled soil. the government. In general, this area is mostly inundated In some places, the original vegetation of during high tides. the swamp forest has been cut by local In the area along the Batang Hari river, people for logs, so that the vegetation in from the Dendang river mouth towards the these spots is now in the process of forma lower course of Batang Hari river, we tion of remainder swamp forest. This found Sonneratia sp., sometimes with situation is characterized by the growth of new species, such as Paspalum Table 2 The Location of Peat Soil Samples for HC Dating commersonz"z"} Stenochlaena pa Present Position lustrz"s, Cyperus dijfusus and Sample Depth Material and Locality from MSL* I: l" d . No. (cm) (Approx. in m) mperata cy tn rzca. In the area covered by dense Center Zone of Kumpeh Area forest, many trees species grow GaK-1l894 200-250 Woody peat; 7 km Northeast of Pulau well, including K oompassz"a Mentaro 4.0 to 4.5 GaK-11895 400-450 Charred wood; 7 km malaccensis, Durio carinatus, Northeast of Pulau Jack-ia ornata, Tetramerz"stra Mentaro 2.0 to 2.5 GaK-1l896 700-750 Charred wood; 7 km glabra, Shorea sp., and Dyera Northeast of Pulau Mentaro -1.5 to -1.0 sp. On the peat soil deposits, besides these species, Lz'cuala Center Zone of Tanjung Area GaK-11892 200-250 Woody peat; 3 km acutijida may occur in the un North of Rantau dergrowth. Panjang 4.0 to 4.5 GaK-1l893 400-430 Woody peat; 3 km The other species found in North of Rantau Panjang 2.0 to 2.5 the swamp forest of the study area are presented in Table 1. Zone Trans£t£onal to Coastal Zone GaK-11897 335-390 Charcoal; SK-8 Unit II Dendang I 2.0 to 2.5
* Mean Sea Level.
119 Table 3 The Results of 14C Dating of Peat Soil from the peat accumulation (Table 3) Center Zone and the Zone Transitional to the are more rapid in bottom layers Coastal Zone than in surface layers. The D th f Calculated Rate Sample Depth Age S ·l~ 0 1 of Peat decrease in the rate of peat No. (Av. in em) (Years BP) 01 ( am)p e Accumulation em (cm/IOO yr) accumulation in surface layers Center Zone of K umpeh Area may be the result of the subsi GaK-1l894 0-225 4040±180 200-250 6 dence process of peat soil, GaK-1l895 225-425 4360±130 400-450 63 which increases the degree of GaK-1l896 425-725 5710±130 700-750 22 decomposition of the soil. Su Center Zone of Tanjung Area piandi [1985] reported that the GaK-1l892 0-225 5890±190 200-250 4 humification in surface layers GaK-1l893 225-425 6830±180 400-430 21 is more rapid than in bottom Zone Transitional to Coastal Zone GaK-1l897 0-365 5980±180 335-390 6 layers. He also mentioned that peat soil in bottom layers is The Age ofPeat Sot"l nepos#s t"n the Study very soft due to a high water content, Area which may hamper the organic matter To study the age of peat soil deposits in decomposition. the study area, several peat soil samples from three profiles were sent for dating by Floral Composition of Peat Soil Prof. Kunihiko Kigoshi, Faculty of Science, Deposits in the Study Area Gakushuin University, Tokyo. The sam ples collected from the center zone and the To study the floral composition of peat zone transitional to the coastal zone (Table soil deposits it is necessary to analyse the 2) are expected, together with the study fossil pollen sedimentation in each layer of of fossil pollen from each layer of peat soil. The most important feature of peat soil deposits, to yield information on the soil deposits to emerge from the study of beginning of peat soil deposition. fossil pollen is that they develop in a strat- The results of 14e dating of these peat ified sequence. As the vegetation continues soil layers at various depths shown in the to grow, the pollen types become buried by Table 3 indicate that peat soil deposits further deposits of organic matter and are started to accumulate during the Holocene thus stratified into horizons within the Period. When the sea level rose, the developing peat profile. fluviatile swamps in the study area were Peat soil deposits in the study area were formed covering the Pleistocene terrace. formed under the influences of water It was the organic matter deposited in the inundation and a marine environment. bottom layers of these areas that commonly These raise several problems in the inter formed the basis of peat swamps. pretation of the results of pollen analysis, The deposition of peat soils in the study because some of the fossil pollen types area appears to indicate that the rates of buried in peat soil deposits may have been
120 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra brought in by the main rivers or the air. ally in composition until the present-day. Several places in the study area were inundated by river water overflowing onto Discussion of Diagrams the soil surface, and these various pollen Table 4 represents the total of arboreal types were transported by surface water. and non-arboreal pollen types from all Pollen transportation by air into the study sub-samples of profiles B-8 and T-7 area is also possible. These grains may (center zone) and T-24 (zone transitional cause considerable confusion because they to coastal zone). The results of pollen will be of fossil pollen and will possibly observation are presented in Figs. 4, 5 and have been derived from quite different 6a, which are composed in the same way. vegetation. Microphotographs are given of the most We nevertheless carried out a pollen important fossil pollen types (see Plates analysis because we believed that the 1 to 6). fossil pollen buried by organic matter Based on the boring data and fossil-grain deposits would elucidate the former situ observations, peat soil deposits consist of ation of the environment. It was found several layers which are characteristic of that during the accumulation of organic different environments. This clearly dem matter, the vegetation has changed gradu- onstrates the vegetational change from the basal clay to the present-day Table 4 The Total of Arboreal and Non-arboreal Pollen Types from All Sub-samples of Profiles B-8, T-7 forest. These layers are de and T-24 scribed below. Center Zone Depth Total Pollen Types (%) Unknown (em) Grains Arboreal Non-arboreal (%) Fig. 4 shows the floral com Pollen Pollen position of a peat soil from Profile B-8* profile B-8 of the center zone 0-138 2512 86 13 1 of the Kumpeh area. The 138-162 700 87 12 1 162-347 4290 92 6 2 layer at the depth of 347 to 418 347-418 1723 31 54 15 cm is categorized as a transition Profile T-7 layer between the basal clay and 0-120 2107 80 18 2 peat soil deposits. This layer 120-220 2069 83 14 3 represents the first peaty sedi 220-400 33 65 2 1807 ment deposited on the terres 400-420 424 59 38 3 420-470 320 27 71 2 trial soil. It is dominated by non-arboreal types and char Profile T-24 80-100 361 78 19 3 acterized by an abundance of 100-150 911 89 9 2 such spore grains as Alsophylla, 150-227 968 83 14 3 Nephrolepis and Asplenium. 227-263 126 79 15 6 This clearly demonstrates the * After Supiandi [1985]. presence of vegetation with
121 types on the Pleistocene terrace were probablydom inated by Ficus and fern o I Oncosperma -~~"i:C==:J----' r Cyrtostachys types. However, after the = [ Jaclcia ~ Pleistocene terrace had fPholidocarpus ~IGanua been transformed into fiu
~ Gastanopsis r [ Ctenolophon viatile swamp by the nse in sea level during the ~ I Palaquium ~Isantiria transgression period, the ~ ce:::::J [ Campnosperma ( Koompassia tree species became domi --.======[ Durio [ Alstonia ====;:...... -=::::J---' r Dipterocarpus nated by Pholidocarpus. = r Vatica L:J L:=J [ 8hesa Ridley [1924] reported [ Dryobalanops I that the habitats of Ficus [ Heritiera CD[ Stemonurus spp. in the Malay Penin = [ Lophopetalum sula are mostly in the t=-::J= [ Anthocephalus T0t81 upland areas; and in 1925 [ TenstrOfJmia Arboreal he reported that the hab WDI Pollen itats of PhoNdocarpus spp. fCyathocalyx ( Total IF I Shrubs are mostly in swampy - [ Total Grasses ~ I Quercus!Lithocarpus and an increase in arbo- real pollen types, which Fig. 4 The Pollen Diagram of Profile B-8 are dominated by Euge fern association. The results of 14e dating nia. This clearly demonstrates a succes indicate that the lowest peat deposits with sion from fern association to swamp fern association probably started to form forest, which probably started approxi about 5,700 years ago. Ficus and Pholi mately 4,300 years ago. We believe that docarpus are more prominent in the arbo the environment of this layer was a swampy real pollen types. This indicates that be area, because Ridley [1922] reported that fore the transgression period the vegetation some species of Eugenia grow well in 122 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra pollen in each layer of this area to be that of tropical =--======I Castanopsis ~---== I Cyrtostachys oak trees, like the Malayan I Palaquium 4~--~D IGanua oak trees reported by ~ Koompassia I ( Mangifera Corner [1940]. To name = I Alstonia ------.::==c=:J=-...... I Santiria these species correctly, the u",------I Timonius = [ Campnosperma = l'latica fossil pollen of oak trees =------(Durio o = I Dryobalanops I Dyera should be investigated In I Rhizophora --~===t:=J==;:--, I Dipterocarpus more detail. ~IBhesa The layer at the depth Stemonurus [ ~ [J l~::'~eal llLJ?I of 138 to 162 cm is char 8 ~ lI: Pollen (J1 D IAnt~ephaws acterized by clay deposits "CD 2 II Total Shrubs derived from terrestrial £~ ~f1Total = t Cyathocalyx - 1I Grasses [jL==1 I Vittaria soils. The clay deposits I Total were mixed with small II Spores [I I amounts of dull yellow ------(( Unknown ¥(E_i. orange (lOYR 6/3) or ( NeesiB ganic matter. In this layer, ---'::====;o::::::::::Ji:::::::J [Parkia o ' c:=J I Ficus the samples show a de crease of Eugenz'a and an rl~='IL_' increase of other arboreal pollen types, especially Ganua and Cyathocalyx. Oncosperma D I The existence of Cyatho ~ (Pholidocarpus calyx in this layer indi- cates that the mineral soil deposited here is a terres Fig. 5 The Pollen Diagram of Profile T-7 trial soil, because C. vir- swampy areas. This layer also demon gatus King grows mostly in upland areas strates a decrease in the fossil pollen types [Ridley 1922]. Thus the fossil pollen of of Parkia and Neesia. The fossil pollen Cyathocalyx was probably transported by of oak trees is also represented in the soil water together with the terrestrial soil from samples of this layer, but some of this the upper part of Jambi. The existence of fossil pollen is presently difficult to identify Ganua indicates that this layer was previ correctly. Some species of Quercus were ously a swampy area. Smythies [1965] reclassified by Soepadmo [1972] into the reported that the species Ganua motleyana genus Lithocarpus. For this reason these (de Vriese) Pierre ex Dubard in Sarawak species are not listed individually here. is locally frequent in mixed peat swamp However, we believe the oak tree fossil forest on shallow peat soil deposits, and 123 The floral composItIOn of peat soil deposits from profile T-7 of the center zone of the Tanjwtg area, shown in Fig. 5, indicates that in the depth of 420 to I. Ganua 470 cm, Lycopodium, Ste nochlaena and Nephrole pis dominate the fossil grains. The existence of these spores indicates the presence of vegetation with fern association. This vegetation grows on 2. Lophopetalum the Pleistocene terrace, of which the surface is sup posed to have been trans- formed into fluviatile swampy lands during the post-Glacial period. In this layer Oncosperma is prominent in the arboreal 3. Vittaria 4. Cyathocalyx 5. Alstonia pollen types, which indi cates inwtdation by brack- ish water during the o, transgression period. An Plate 1 derson and Muller [1975] the other species (G. coriacea Pierre ex mentioned that the existence of Oncosperma Dubard) is frequent to rare in mixed peat represents a zone lying inland of mangrove swamp forest throughout Sarawak. vegetation, subject to periodic, non-diurnal The layer between 0 ahd 138 cm is inwtdation and where saline influence is characterized by peat soil deposits. In less strong. this layer, many kind of arboreal pollen The layer at the depth of 400 to 420 cm types were found. However, the fossil is categorized as a transition layer between grains of Ganua, Santiria and Stemonurus the basal clay and peat soil deposits. were more prominent than other fossil It is characterized by a decrease in spore grains. This clearly represents the first of grains and an increase in the number of the successive stages in the formation of arboreal pollen types, especially the fossil the mixed forest. pollen of oak trees (Quercus or Lithocarpus) 124 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra cooperata Blanco) and L. nt'euwenhuist't' (von See men) A. Camus (Q. cle mentis Merr, Q. ochracea I. Gluta 2. Campnosperma (Schottky) Merr, Q. nieu wenhut'sz't' von Seemen) were found in peat swamp and/or heath forests. An other scientist [Comer 1940] reported that Quer cus bennethi Bennett and 3. Mangifera 4. Vatica Q. grandifrons Lat. were found ill the lowland swampy forest of Malaya, and that Q. hystrix grows in swampy forest. In this layer (at the depth of 400 to 420 em), the fossil pollen of Stemonurus are 5. Ouercus/ 6. Dryobalanops 7. Eugenia also more prominent than Lithocarpus the other arboreal pollen o 50 J1 (BOOx) types. Stemonurus secun dijlorus Bl. Bijdr reported Plate 2 by Ridley [1922] grows and Stemonurus. Soepadmo [1972] re mostly on river-banks and in low swampy ported that Quercus is confined to ever-wet woods. The existence of Stemonurus and conditions; the genus occurs from sea level Quercus or Lz"thocarpus thus indicates that to 3,350 m, with a preference for the the area was previously swampy, and this region between 600 and 1,500 m, in various played an important role in the first deposi sorts of primary forest, namely, lowland tion of peat soils on the terrace surface, mixed Dtpterocarp forest and swamp which is probably started approximately forest (with fluctuating water level). He 6,800 years ago. In this layer, however, also mentioned finding Quercus subsericea the fossil pollen of Oncosperma decreases on rocky seashores in Cave Rachado near due to a change of environment to the Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan, Malaya) one with decreased saline influence. at 0-10 m, facing the mangrove. Other The layer at the depth of 220 to 400 cm is species, such as Lz"thocarpus cooperatus categorized as peat soil deposits. The Blanco (Quercus fernandes# Vidal, Q. samples from this layer show a decrease in reflexa King, Q. boholensis Merr, Q. the Lithocarpus or Quercus and an increase 125 pollen types. The peat soil deposit at the depth of 120 to 220 I. Castanopsis 2. ••Stemonurus 3. Santiria cm shows a decrease in the Pandanus and Stemo nurus pollen types and an increase ofEugenia, This appears to indicate a suc cession from grasses to 4. Salacca 5. Pandanus swamp forest, which prob ably started approximately 5,800 years ago. The existence of Eugenia indi cates that, at that time, the area was swampy. This layer also demon 6. Nephrolepis 7. Schizaea 8. Stenochlaena strates a decrease in the Palaquium and Koompas sia pollen types. The samples from the depth of 0 to 120 cm show a fairly heterogenous pol 9. Asplenium len content. There is a decrease of Eugenia and o 50 Jl (800x) ...--...... - ...... ' an increase in the number Plate 3 of arboreal pollen types, indicating the initial stage of the Stemonu?'us and other arboreal in the formation of mixed forest. pollen types, Non-arboreal pollen types Zone Trans-itional to Coastal Zone also increase and are characterized by an The floral composition of peat soil abundance of the Pandanus. Anderson deposits from profile T-24 of the zone and Muller [1975] reported that three transitional to the coastal zone of the Pandanus species, namely, P. ande?'sonit', Tanjung area is shown in Fig. 6a, Fig. 6b is P, ?'t"dleyi and P, sigmoidues, occur in the a supplement to Fig. 6a which shows in peat swamp forest of NW Borneo. This more detail some of the most important clearly represents a different situation from fossil pollen, in order to distinguish the that in the center zone of Kumpeh area, floral composition from each horizon of This layer also demonstrates an increase of profile T-24. Eugenia, Pala'lut'um and Koompasst'a The soil surface of the area around 126 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra The existence of these pollen types indicates that the area was once proba bly covered by mangrove I. Palaquium 2. Cyrtostachys 3. Pholidocarpus vegetation. These clay deposits are successively terrestrial soils which developed from fluvial deposits on the terrace 4. Durio 5. Dryobalanops 6. Hibiscus during the transgression period, so that this area was previously inundated by brackish water. A peat soil mixed with small amounts of mineral 7. Ouercus/Lithocarpus 8. Eugenia 9. Graminae materials at the depth of 150 to 227 cm shows a decrease in the arboreal pollen types of Sonneratia, Oncosperma and·Pholido carpus and an increase of 10. Planchonia I I. Cephalomappa 12. Timonius Ntpa, Rhizophora and Lithocarpus or Quercus pollen types. The exis o ! tence of Nipa and R hizo Plate 4 phora pollen types appears to indicate a succession profile T -24 was covered by mineral of this area towards a marine environment. materials during excavation of the canal. The layer between 100 to 150 cm IS In fact, the soil surface is about 80 cm characterized by the dominance of below the present covering, so that the soil Rhizophora. In this layer, Sonneratt'a and samples for fossil pollen study were col Oncosperma again increase, but Ntpa and lected from 80 to 263 cm depth. Quercus or Lz'thocarpus decrease. This The layer at the depth of 227 to 263 cm clearly demonstrates that the area was then is characterized by clay deposits with small still inundated by brackish water. amounts of plant remains, being gray The floral composition at the depth of (7.5Y 6/1) in color and light clay in texture. 80 to 100 cm, which is characterized by the In this layer, Pholidocarpus, Oncosperma dominance of Ntpa, that the area was and Sonneratt'a dominate the fossil grains. influenced by tidal action. However, 127 to the results of pollen analysis from profiles B-8 and T-7 (center zone) and T-24 (zone transitional to - 'toastal zone), which are described below. I. Ficus 2. Dipterocarpus 3. Oncosperma Center Zone rif Kumpeh A rea (Profile B-8) 1. Zone I: peat soil deposit derived from mixed forest; the samples from this layer show 4. Nipa 5. Rhizophora 6. Nepenthes a fairly heterogenous ...... polle!'l..content. 2. Zo~e II: mineral soil deposit derived from terrestrial soil. Cya thocalyx and Ganua 7. Alsophylla 8. Lycopodium 9. Parkia pollen types were more prominent than other arboreal pollen types. 3. Zone III: peat soil de 0.._..."""-....-.;,5,0 J.l (600x) posit consisting mostly Plate 5 of a uniform pollen type, and characterized Rhz"zophora and Sonneratz"a are decreased. by the dominance of Eugenia pollen When the sea level changed to a few meters type. lower than at present during the period 4. Zone IV: mineral soil deposit character 3,000 to 1,500 yr BP [Fuji, Lin and Tjia ized by the dominance of non-arboreal 1971], the marine environment was also pollen types with fern association. changed to the present one, and the Based on the fossil pollen content, all of Rhz"zophora and Sonneratz'a almost com these layers are categorized as being formed pletely disappeared. in a swampy area inundated by fresh water. Center Zone of Tanjung Area (Profile T-7) Conclusion 1. Zone I: peat soil deposit derived from Peat soil deposits in the study area can be mixed forest; in this layer many kinds divided into several layers (zones) according of arboreal pollen types were found. 128 SUPIANOI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra I. Koompassia 2. Heritiera 3. Anthocephalus 4. Acrostichum 5. Sonneratia 6. Jlex O. 50 J.l (600x) ...... ' Plate 6 2. Zone II: peat soil deposit consisting II, III and IV by fresh water. mostly of a uniform pollen type, characterized by the dominance of Zone Transitional to Coastal Zone (Profile Eugenia pollen type. T-24) 3. Zone III: peat soil deposit mostly de 1. Zone I: peat soil deposit derived from rived from non-arboreal pollen types, and coastal swamp forest, characterized by an characterized by the abundance of abundance of Nipa pollen type. Pandanus. 2. Zone II: peaty mineral deposit, also 4. Zone IV: peaty mineral deposit contain derived from coastal swamp forest, ing mostly Stemonurus and Lithocarpus but characterized by the dominance of or Quercus pollen types. Rhizophora and Sonneratia pollen types. 5. Zone V: clay deposit containing non 3. Zone III: mangrove deposit containing arboreal pollen types, characterized by mostly R kizophora, Nipa and Li an abundance of fern association. In thocarpus or Quercus pollen types. this layer, Oncosperma is more prominent 4. Zone IV: also a mangrove deposit. in the arboreal pollen types. Based on the fossil pollen content, all of Based on the fossil pollen content, all of these layers are categorized as being these layers are categorized as being formed formed in a swampy area previously in a swampy area. Zone V was previously inundated by brackish water. inundated by brackish water, and Zones I, 129 0 [ Gluta ~ (Ganua Total [ [ Mangifera Arboreal Un=' .~ Pollen ~ [ Santiria [j [ Campnosperma [[ Total Shrubs [ Durio ____""I•• II Total Grasses [ Anthocephalus 0 II ____..u II Total Spores [ Vittaria [ Eugenia ~ --...----!I Unknown ~ Qlleren,fUthoc.",", n I ~ ~ Total Arboreal D & Non-arboreal Pollen I Oncosperma / / . \ u==LJ /' / ; \ \ \ ~NI Pholidoco",", 0 I "6.l:b :::J , ~:I P ~ I Alstonia' en> U [ Cratoxylon g 130 SUPIANDI, S. and FURUKAWA, H.: Floral Composition of Peat Soil in Jambi, Sumatra • II • • • • • [Ganua • - • • I • • .' [Mangifera • •• • • '~ I • • • • Santiria • • • • • • • -I [Campnosperma • • - - • • •I [Eugenia • • • • • Quercus/ rrn ·'1 Lithocarpus ~ • I - • - • fIT (oncosperma I-- I • -- • •I fKoompassia • • • • n - • • •' [Alstonia [ 0'1 Rhizophora '0 (1) n (1) :I.... I • • I I • N • l·fl ,.. • • I • , I • • r- ·'1 ~onneratia ~p~ »(1)::0 ~ » (I) I 1II0::r III 0 . ~ 131 Lands]. Tonan Ajz'a Kenkyu [Southeast Acknowledgements Asian Studies] 23(1): 3-37. Huang, T. C. 1972. Pollen Flora of Tat'wan The authors wish to thank Prof. Dr. M. Takeoka (Including 177 Plates). National Taiwan of Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto Prefectural University. Botany Department Press. 297 University for his kind guidance and suggestions pp. throughout the course of this research. They are Kremp, G. O. W.; and Kawasaki, T. 1972. The grateful to Dr. Kuswata and Dr. Soedarsono Spores of the Pteridophytes. Tokyo: Hiro Riswan of Herbarium Bogoriense for their help in kawa Publishing Company, Inc. 398 pp. collecting many modern pollen samples for refer Ridley, H. N. 1922. The Flora of Malay ence. Penz"nsula. Vol. I. London: L. Reeve & Co., Ltd. References -----. 1924. The Flora of Malay Pen t'nsula. Vol. III. London: L. Reeve & Anderson, J. A. R.; and Muller, J. 1975. Co., Ltd. Palynological Study of a Holocene Peat and -----. 1925. The Flora of Malay Pen a Miocene Coal Deposit from NW Borneo. insula. Vol. V. London: L. Reeve & Revz'ew of Paleobotany and Palynology 19: Co., Ltd. 291-351. Smythies, B. E. 1965. Common Sarawak Trees. Brown, C. A. 1960. Palynologz'cal Technz"ques. Borneo Literature Bureau. 153 pp. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number. Soepadmo, E. 1972. Fagaceae. In Flora 60-14297. Baton Rouge, La. Malesiana, general ed. by C. G. G. J. van Corner, E.]. H. 1940. Waysz"de Trees of Malaya. Steenis, Ser. I, Vol. 7(2), pp. 265-403. Vol. 1. Singapore: Government Printing Leyden: Noordhoff International Publishing. Office. pp. 293-305. Soepraptohardjo, M.; and Driessen, P. M. 1976. Fuji, S.; Lin, C. C.; and Tjia, H. D. 1971. Sea The Lowland Peats of Indonesia, a Challenge Level Changes in Asia during the Past for the Future. Peat and PodzoHc So£/s and 11,000 Years. Quaternary 14: 211-216. 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