Agriculture — Fires in organic soils Emissions
| Object type | Damage Signal |
|---|---|
| SIGNAL Earth ID | DS-00869 |
| Observable type | — |
| Unit | — |
| Temporal structure | — |
| Monitoring backbone | — |
Agriculture — Fires in organic soils Emissions refer to the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases resulting from the combustion of organic-rich soils used for agricultural purposes. These fires contribute to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and are an important component of land use-related emissions. The phenomenon is significant in regions where organic soils, such as peatlands, are drained and subsequently burned to clear land for cultivation or pasture. Understanding these emissions is essential for assessing the carbon balance and environmental impact of agricultural practices involving organic soils. Within the broader context of global biomass burning, emissions from agricultural fires in organic soils represent a distinct source category that influences regional and global carbon cycles.
Geographic / System Context
[edit]Fires in organic soils used for agriculture predominantly occur in regions with extensive peatlands and organic-rich soils, including tropical and boreal zones. Notable areas include Southeast Asia, parts of Northern Europe, and North America where peatlands have been drained for agricultural expansion. These ecosystems are characterized by soils with high organic matter content accumulated over millennia. The drainage and subsequent combustion of these soils release stored carbon, which otherwise would remain sequestered. The geographic distribution of these fires is influenced by land management practices, climate conditions, and the extent of organic soil coverage within agricultural landscapes.
Monitoring and Measurement
[edit]Monitoring of emissions from fires in organic soils integrates satellite remote sensing, ground-based observations, and atmospheric modeling. Satellite instruments detect fire occurrence, burned area, and smoke plumes, while emission estimates rely on biomass burning inventories and soil carbon content data. The Multi-ensemble Biomass-burning Emissions Inventory (MBEI) is a recent advancement that characterizes the spatiotemporal uncertainty in global biomass burning emissions, including those from agricultural fires in organic soils. These methods collectively provide data on the timing, extent, and intensity of fires, as well as the resulting CO2 emissions. Ground measurements and soil sampling complement remote sensing by providing local emission factors and soil characteristics.
Within the SIGNAL system, this phenomenon is treated as a defined environmental signal whose boundaries and measurement conventions are described below.
Signal Definition
[edit]The Agriculture — Fires in organic soils Emissions signal quantifies the release of CO2 and associated greenhouse gases resulting from the combustion of organic-rich soils in agricultural settings. This includes emissions produced during intentional burning for land clearing or management of organic soils such as peatlands. The signal captures temporal variations in emissions and spatial distribution across global agricultural regions with organic soils. It is expressed in terms of carbon emissions attributable specifically to fires affecting organic soil layers within agricultural land use categories.
Boundary Conditions
[edit]Boundary inclusions encompass all CO2 emissions generated by the combustion of organic soil layers within agricultural lands, including peat fires and other organic-rich soil burning directly associated with agricultural activities. Boundary exclusions include emissions from fires occurring in non-agricultural organic soils such as natural peatlands outside managed agricultural areas, as well as emissions from aboveground biomass burning unrelated to soil combustion. Additionally, emissions from agricultural fires on mineral soils without significant organic content are excluded to maintain specificity to organic soil combustion.
Aggregation Semantics
[edit]Geographic aggregation involves compiling emissions data across regions with organic soil agriculture, enabling analysis at local, national, and global scales. Temporal aggregation considers seasonal and annual emission totals to capture variability linked to agricultural cycles and fire occurrence patterns. Cross-signal aggregation integrates this signal with other biomass burning and land use emission signals to provide a comprehensive understanding of fire-related carbon fluxes. Aggregation notes emphasize the importance of harmonizing spatial and temporal scales to accurately represent emissions and their contribution to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
Observational Status
[edit]Current monitoring efforts provide a growing but incomplete picture of emissions from agricultural fires in organic soils. Advances such as the Multi-ensemble Biomass-burning Emissions Inventory (MBEI) enhance understanding of spatial and temporal uncertainties. However, challenges remain in accurately quantifying emissions due to variability in fire behavior, soil properties, and land management practices. Future SIGNAL releases aim to incorporate improved observational datasets, refined emission factors, and enhanced integration with land use and atmospheric models to better characterize this emission source.
Related Signals
[edit]- None specified
Key Associated People
[edit]- X. Liu — - [Source author; High]
- Francesco N. Tubiello — FAO Statistics Division [Supporting contributor; High]
Inclusion reflects material contribution to the scientific understanding of this damage signal; it does not imply review, endorsement, or affiliation with SIGNAL Earth.
Sources
[edit]- The newly developed Multi-ensemble Biomass-burning Emissions Inventory (MBEI): characterizing and unraveling spatiotemporal uncertainty in global biomass burning emissions — 2026. [Dataset; Anchor; High]
- A Worldwide Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Drained Organic Soils — Sustainability, 2017. DOI: 10.3390/su8040371. [Assessment; Supporting; High]
- Emissions - Fires in Drained Organic Soils — EarthMap Help Center, 2023. [Dataset; Supporting; High]
- Combustion Characteristics and Emissions from Burning Organic Soils — 73rd Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association, 1980. [Report; Supporting; Medium]