Global Biomass Burning

JOHN L. INNES University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada The interactions between biomass burning and climate have been brought into focus by a number of recent events. Firstly, the Framework Convention on Climate Change and, more recently, the Kyoto Protocol, have drawn the attention of policy makers and others to the importance of biomass burning in relation to atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Secondly, the use of prescribed fires has become a major management tool in some countries; with for example the area with fuel treatments (which include prescribed burns and mechanical treatments) having increased on US National Forest System lands from 123,000 ha in 1985 to 677,000 ha in 1998. Thirdly, large numbers of forest fires in Indonesia, Brazil, Australia and elsewhere in 1997 and 1998 received unprecedented media attention. Consequently, it is appropriate that one of the Wengen Workshops on Global Change Research be devoted to the relationships between biomass burning and climate. This volume includes many of the papers presented at the workshop, but is also intended to act as a contribution to the state of knowledge on the int- relationships between biomass burning and climate change. Previous volumes on biomass burning (e. g. Goldammer 1990,Levine 1991a, Crutzen and Goldammer 1993, Levine 1996a, 1996b, Van Wilgen et al. 1997) have stressed various aspects of the biomass–climate issue, and provide a history of the development of our understanding of the many complex relationships that are involved.

This comprehensive volume is the first to consider biomass burning as a global phenomenon and to assess its impact on the atmosphere, on climate, and on the biosphere itself.

Biomass burning profoundly affects atmospheric chemistry, the carbon cycle, and climate and may have done so for millions of years. Bringing together renowned experts from paleoecology, fire ecology, atmospheric chemistry, and organic chemistry, the volume elucidates the role of fire during global changes of the past and future. Topics covered include: the characterization of combustion products that occur in sediments, including char, soot/fly ash, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; the calibration of these constituents against atmospheric measurements from wildland and prescribed fire emissions; spatial and temporal patterns in combustion emissions at scales of individual burns to the globe.

Global Biomass Burning provides a convenient and current reference on such topics as the remote sensing of biomass burning from space, the geographical distribution of burning; the combustion products of burning in tropical, temperate, and boreal ecosystems; burning as a global source of atmospheric gases and particulates; the impact of biomass burning gases and particulates on global climate; and the role of biomass burning on biodiversity and past global extinctions."--Pub. desc.

Global Biomass Burning provides a convenient and current reference on such topics as the remote sensing of biomass burning from space, the geographical distribution of burning; the combustion products of burning in tropical, temperate, and boreal ecosystems; burning as a global source of atmospheric gases and particulates; the impact of biomass burning gases and particulates on global climate; and the role of biomass burning on biodiversity and past global extinctions."--Pub. desc.

The increasing intensity and frequency of natural disasters all around the world has caused severe socioeconomic impacts, especially in South and Southeast Asia. This region is particularly susceptible to vegetation fires, leading to biomass burning pollution with impacts on other countries through trans-boundary air pollution. Despite the growing body of information on biomass pollutants worldwide, only a modest amount of data from these regions are available. With fires and biomass burning identified as a vital issue in South/Southeast Asia, this two-volume set was created to meet community research and application needs. To better serve the atmospheric, environmental, and remote sensing communities, and to address air quality, climate, and the human health impacts of greenhouse gases and aerosols from biomass burning, this set brings together the collective achievements of experts in these regions and the state-of-the-art technologies and spatial analyses to model and monitor biomass burning events and their impacts. This first volume covers various topics on fire, biomass burning, mapping and monitoring while the second volume highlights the impact of biomass burning on the biosphere and reflects extensive research by interdisciplinary teams of experts. This set will serve as a valuable resource for remote sensing scientist, geographers, ecologists, atmospheric scientists, environmental scientists, and all who wish to advance their knowledge on fires, biomass burning, and biomass burning pollution in South/Southeast Asia Specific Features: Unique in its discussion of the sources and the causes of biomass burning and atmospheric research in South and Southeast Asia. Explains how remote sensing and geospatial technologies help the mapping and monitoring of biomass burning events and their impacts. Focuses on large spatial scales integrating top-down and bottom-up methodologies. Addresses the pressing issues of environmental pollution that are rampant in South and Southeast Asia. Includes contributions from global experts currently working on biomass burning projects in the US, Japan, South/Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Unique in its discussion of the sources and the causes of biomass burning and atmospheric research in South and Southeast Asia. Explains the latest tools and techniques, in particular, the use of Satellite Remote Sensing and Geospatial technologies for fire mapping, monitoring, and Land Cover/Land Use. Focuses on large spatial scales integrating top-down and bottom-up methodologies. Addresses the pressing issues of environmental pollution that are rampant in South and Southeast Asia. Includes contributions from global experts actually working on biomass burning projects in the US, Japan, South/Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Biomass burning is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gas emissions and aerosols in South and Southeast Asia and greatly impacts other countries through transboundary air pollution. With contributions from leading scientists, this volume offers an interdisciplinary perspective on the impacts of biomass burning on the land resources, climate, and the atmosphere. It showcases several examples linking top-down remote sensing, bottom-up ground-based measurements, and an integrated modeling to address the impacts of biomass burning and land-atmosphere interactions. It is a valuable guide for readers in atmospheric science, ecology, spatial geography, remote sensing, and GIS. This book is unique as it highlights the sources and the causes of biomass burning and atmospheric research in South and Southeast Asia. It explains the latest tools and techniques, in particular the use of satellite remote sensing and geospatial technologies for fire mapping, monitoring, and land cover/land use change. It focuses on large spatial scales integrating top-down and bottom-up methodologies. It addresses the pressing issues of air pollution rampant in South and Southeast Asia. It includes contributions from global experts working on biomass burning projects in the USA, Japan, South/Southeast Asia, and Europe. The contents of this book will appeal to students and professionals using remote sensing and geospatial techniques, including geographers, ecologists, atmospheric and environmental scientists, and all who are interested in biomass burning pollution.