The effects of fire severity on peat swamp forest stand composition and its implications for forest restoration

Peat swamp forests play a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration, yet recurrent fires may alter forest structure and composition. This study examined the effect of fire severity (low, moderate, and high) on stand structure and composition in a peat swamp forest landscape in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The results showed that site affected by low-severity fires retain higher species richness and diversity, indicating strong regenerative capacity supported by surviving parent trees. In contrast, peat swamp forests exposed to moderate- and high-severity fires had lower species richness and diversity and were increasingly dominated by fire-tolerant pioneer species, such as Cratoxylum glaucum and Combretocarpus rotundatus . This study suggests that natural regeneration alone is sufficient to restore peat swamp forests subjected to low-severity fires, as long as recurrent fires are prevented. Peat swamp forests subject to moderate-severity fires require a combination of natural regeneration and enrichment planting, whereas high-severity burned peat swamp forests depend primarily on active restoration through planting.