PRESENT CONDITION OF THE COASTAL EROSION IN THE ISLANDS IN RIAU PROVINCE, INDONESIA

Abstract

 Coastal erosion is proceeding on the northern coast of Bengkalis Island, Riau Province, Indonesia. Lands where erosion is progressing are primarily peatlands. In the northern coast of Bengkalis Island where erosion speed is high, bog bursts were discovered. In the Meranti Islands, Indonesia, peatland collapses like bog bursts were also seen. Comparing mangrove distribution data and coastal setback rate, it was found that in a place where mangrove did not exist in areas had higher erosion rate. In Riau province, it was found that about 160 ha of land was lost per year by the coastal erosion by the temporal analysis of the LANDSAT images. In addition, it was estimated that 110,000 tons of carbon discharged from the peat which flowed out to the ocean by the bog bursts in northern coast of Bengkalis occurred in December 2014.