Evaluation of forest carbon stock and land use of Solan Forest Division
Loading...
Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
YSPU
Abstract
The present investigation entitled, “Evaluation of Forest Carbon Stock and Land use of Solan
Forest Division ” was carried out during 2009-2012 in Solan Forest Division of Himachal Pradesh,
located between 30
o
45’ 00’’ to 31
o
10’00’’ N latitude and 76
o
55’00’’ to 77
o
15’00’ E longitude, at an
elevation ranging from 600m to 2260 m a.m.s.l. to study land use change from 1998 to 2010 using IRS
(LISS III) data, the temporal distribution of carbon stock and to assess the impact of climate change on
forest growth. The major land use categories were Culturable Blank, Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii),
Cultivation, Broadleaved, Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus), Ban oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) and
Khair (Acacia catechu). Chir pine, Cultivation and Khair reported an increase in area of 191 ha
(4.55%), 129 ha (13.81%) and 77 ha (23.40%), whereas Ban oak, Broadleaved, Culturable Blank and
Bamboo reported a decrease in area of 181 ha (16.58%), 152 ha (6.30%), 71 ha (2.72%) and 7 ha
(0.47%), respectively from 1998 to 2010. There was a declining trend in carbon stock over 1956-1984
period by 8875.87 t (20.39 t ha
-1
), an increasing trend over 1984-2002 period by 6201.34 t (14.25 t ha
-1
)
and over 2002-2011 period there was a further increase by 2352.56 t (5.4 t ha
-1
). In 2011 total
Vegetation Carbon Stock was 22253.43 t (51.13 t ha
-1
). In 2011the Soil Carbon Stock {Humus + Soil
(0-100cm depth)} was 83076.05 t (189.29 t ha
-1
). Detritus carbon stock was 2544.94 t (5.61 t ha
-1
) and
the total Ecosystem Carbon Stock (t) was 107874.40 t (247.87 t ha
-1
. A significant linear relationship
was observed between carbon stock and NDVI for 1998(R = 0.741) and 2010 (R = 0.663). The carbon
prediction models were then used to develop carbon maps for Solan Forest Division. The carbon
density (t ha
-1
) ranged from < 10.49 t ha
-1
to 168.03 t ha
-1
as per the 1998 imagery and as per the 2010
imagery it ranged from < 11.32 t ha
-1
to 181.23 t ha
-1
. The percent change in carbon stock ranged from
< 0.71% to 11.49%. Current (2001-2010) and past (1983-2000) climatic scenario revealed that the
region has experienced an increase in the maximum temperature while minimum temperature showed
both an increasing as well as decreasing trend. Temperature in different seasons of the year viz. winter,
spring, summer and autumn has shown increasing trends while precipitation in the form of rainfall
decreased except in autumn. Ring width Index (RWI) was found to have a significant relationship with
the average annual temperature (
0
C) (R=0.68, P < 0.05) and with rainfall (R= 0.41,P < 0.05). Multiple
regression between RWI & temperature and RWI & precipitation showed that temperature had a
stronger effect on growth than precipitation and the effect of temperature became more pronounced in
trees with advancement of age.f
Description
Keywords
Carbon Stock, Soil, Land