Emission of CO2 from agricultural peat soils in the Netherlands and ways to limit this emission

Abstract

Summary A method to calculate CO 2 emissions from subsidence was developed. Empirical relationships between ditchwater and groundwater levels and subsidence were derived based on monitoring results collected during more than 30 years. With t hese relationships, data from the Dutch Soil Database and water management databases we calculated that the annual CO 2 emission of Dutch agricultural peat soils is 4.25 Mton. High ditchwat er levels is a way to diminish oxidation and so CO 2 emission of peat soils but will make the tradition al dairy farming on peat soils economically impossible. Subsurface irrigation by submerged drai ns is investigated as a promising alternative.