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

Abstract

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 these 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 ditchwater levels is a way to diminish oxidation and so CO 2 emission of peat soils but will make the traditional dairy farming on peat soils economically impossible.Subsurface irrigation by submerged drains is investigated as a promising alternative.