Trace gas and particulate emissions from biomass burning in temperate ecosystems

In this chapter, the authors demonstrate the importance of fundamental ecosystem properties in influencing combustion emissions. They use data obtained from fires in boreal forest, chaparral, and graminoid wetlands to support their contentions. Following sample collection by aircrafts, chemical analyses for carbon (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4) total nonmethane hydrocarbons (TNMHC), and nitrous oxide (N2O) were performed. Results suggest that ecosystem relatable parameters (e.g., fuel size) generally influence combustion emissions in predictable ways. This point is most clear when results from the wetlands fires are compared to the burning emissions from boreal forests. Generally, the inorganic fraction of the particular emissions is relatively close in composition regardless of ecosystem. Both aerosol and trace gas emissions are strongly influenced by the phase of combustion