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Title: El Nino, Climate Change and Peat Fires
Date: 19-Mar-2002
Category: Workshop Papers
Source/Author: Santhira Segaran Singaravelu

An overview of the El-Nino phenomenon, its effect on regional climate and consequent impact on peatlands is given. The water temperature of the ocean surface in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific is usually colder than that of the western equatorial Pacific. In some years, however, this part of the ocean is observed to be exceptionally warmer than normal over an extensive area. This observed phenomenon is termed as El-Niño (Spanish for the boy child). The El-Niño event is also referred to as a Warm episode or ENSO (El-Niño-Southern Oscillation) and is one of the major climate influences in the world. Warming typically begins in October, increases toward year-end and peaks at mid-year the following year. The Southern Oscillation Index or SOI is used to indicate the occurrence of an El-Niño event. A negative SOI means there is an El-Niño under way. Other indicators include warmer than normal ocean temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, cooler than normal ocean temperatures over the western tropical Pacific, increased convection or cloudiness in the central tropical Pacific Ocean - the focus of convection migrates from the Australian/Indonesian region eastward towards the central tropical Pacific Ocean, and weaker than normal (easterly) trade winds. During more intense El Niño episodes, westerly winds are observed over parts of the equatorial western and central Pacific. During an El-Niño event, drier than normal conditions prevail in Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Australia. Such conditions can be prolonged and, during intense episodes, result in droughts. Droughts cause water levels to lower in peatlands and upper layers of plant material to dry up, thus becoming combustible fuel. Some of the more widespread incidents of peat fires occurred during intense El-Niño years such as in 1982 and 1997. Although the unusually dry conditions could be a reason for peat fires to start and spread easily, it is more likely most of the fires were started deliberately, by human activity in and around the peatlands. Such fires destroyed large areas of peatland, like in 1982, the over 3.5 million hectares of forest burnt in east Kalimantan included 550,000ha of peat swamp. A 1987 fire destroyed another 12,000ha in south Sumatra. South-East Asian countries, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia, have over 20 million hectares or 60% of the world's tropical peatlands. In the long term, peat swamp loss will surely have repercussions extending beyond just a hazy sky. Drained or burnt peat swamps will lose their crucial functions: soaking and storing water to mitigate floods and as a water catchment; buffering coastal lands from the intrusion of salty marine water; filtering pollutants which will otherwise degrade lakes, rivers and groundwater; providing timber and non-timber products; and providing critical wildlife habitat, particularly for the endangered Sumatran rhinoceros. While most of us feel the effects of climate variation, many businesses, services and activities depend on climate forecasting to prepare adequately, to manage risk, protect the environment, and to save lives. Climate extremes like flood, fire, cyclones and drought cause major impacts that can be minimized more effectively with climate forecasting. 

Document Type Workshop paper


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