PJB-2018-68
ESTIMATION OF CO2 EMITTED BY MODIS BURNED AREAS IN MEXICO: A PILOT APPROACH
DARÍO CISNEROS-GONZÁLEZ
Abstract
Forest fires are a source of greenhouse gas emission, consequently it is important to study their behavior and effects on ecosystems. The objectives of this study were to estimate the emission of CO2 as a result of forest fires, through three scenarios that considered the combustion of 10, 50 and 100% of the aerial biomass, including surfaces and burned vegetation types. Burned areas estimated by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were used in order to estimate the quantity of CO2 released to the atmosphere. The burned areas were classified into three different vegetation types (forests, shrublands and grasslands). The quantity of CO2 was calculated, both temporally and spatially, in Gigagrams (Gg). The highest estimated values of CO2 emissions were presented in 2011, with 19,979.878 Gg. It is estimated that a total of 19,815,805 ha were affected by the forest fires in which 64% corresponded to forests, 30% to thickets and 6% to pastures. This study improves our capacity for analysis and increases the potential for appropriate decision-making.
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