BIOMASS AND CARBON BUDGET ALONG THE GRADIENT OF DISTURBANCE IN TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FOREST
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Date
2017
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Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidhyalaya, Raipur
Abstract
The present work aimed to study the “Biomass and Carbon Budget along the Gradient of Disturbance in Tropical Deciduous Forest” at Dugli Forest Range of Dhamtari Forest Division in Dhamtari district (Chhattisgarh) during the year 2016-2017.
Three study sites I, II & III, respectively were selected at 1 km, 1-3 km and 5 km, away from the villages. Regeneration status, phyto-sociological study and species diversity were estimated by randomly placing 10 quadrates of 10 x 10 m in size on each site.
Biomass for each site was estimated using allometric equations based on the relationship between girth of tree and dry weight of the component (bole, branch, leaf, root). The carbon storage for the vegetation components was computed as the sum of the products obtained by multiplying dry weights of components with their mean carbon concentrations. Trees in the sampling quadrats in each site were enumerated for their GBH. A total of 34 species of 21 families were encountered.
Phyto-sociological analysis and species diversity analysis revealed that density of different study sites varied from 370 to 610 trees ha-1, basal cover from 18.71 to 32.29 m2 ha-1. Shannon index varied between 1.397 for site II and 1.551 for site I, Simpson index ranged between 0.321 and 0.381. The Margalef´s index of richness varied from 1.702-2.039, equitability index was from 0.497-0.587 and β diversity varied from 2.786-3.783. Total biomass (t ha-1) was maximum in site III (398.45) followed by site II (308.76) and site I (197.14). The higher proportion of above ground biomass was allocated to branch followed by bole and leaf in different tree components. The above ground biomass on different study sites varied from 140.96 to 272.98 t ha-1 with highest on site III and lowest on site I. The below ground biomass in different study sites varied from 56.17 to 125.46 t ha-1 and was highest in site III and lowest in site I. In all the three study sites maximum biomass was accumulated in higher girth classes. Carbon storage has same pattern as that of biomass accumulation at all sites. It was observed that the forests close to habitation were more severely affected by disturbances than the distant forest areas.
From the present studies it is evident that site III has an edge over site II and site I in terms of regeneration, species diversity, dominance, richness and biomass accumulation. Efforts are needed to conserve the forest for their diversity and existence. It is also evident from the present study that with increasing pressure of human population and their increasing demand for fuel wood, fodder, timber and many other non-wood forests products, efforts need to be made to regulate the pressure in the vicinity of dwellings and protecting the forests would go a long way in rejuvenating the lost forest ecosystem
Description
BIOMASS AND CARBON BUDGET ALONG THE GRADIENT OF DISTURBANCE IN TROPICAL DECIDUOUS F
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