[Estimate of burned biomass and CO2 emissions by forest fires in Italy]
1996
Bovio, G. (Universita di Torino, Grugliasco (Italy). Dipartimento di Agronomia, Selvicoltura e Gestione del Territorio)
Forest fires contribute to the increase of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. The aim of this study is to estimate the consumption of biomass by forest fires and the corresponding emissions of CO2 in Italy. The methodology is subdivided into the following items: evaluation of all forest fires by kind of forest vegetation and regions for the period 1977 to 1991; classification of the different kinds of forest vegetation by quantity of combustible biomass and determination of groups of homogenous regions according to these characteristics; estimate of the burned biomass through forest fires in two variations, the first one simplified, and the second one a refined variation, in consideration of the utilisation; estimate of the CO2 emissions. The study shows that in Italy the burned biomass for the 14 years under investigation amounts to 41 mill. t CO2 obtained using the simplified variation, and to 44 mill. t CO2 when taking into account the utilisation. Based on the results of the second method and emission values adapted to Italian conditions, it is estimated that for the considered period forest fires release between 2.6 and 4.4 mill. t CO2 into the atmosphere
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