Quantification of carbon storage in biomass and soil in forest tree plantations
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Date
2014
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
Biomass and carbon storage in four multipurpose tree plantation over ten years were evaluated at Punjab Agricultural University Seed Farm, Ladhowal, Ludhiana. This lies at central region of Punjab. Two leguminous (Acacia catechu and Dalbergia sissoo) and two non-leguminouus (Melia azedarach and Terminalia arjuna) tree species were raised during August, 2003 in a completely randomized design. Data recorded after ten years revealed that total and component (stem, branch, leaf, bark and root) biomass among four species differed significantly. The ranking of the total plantation biomass in different tree species was in the order of Terminalia arjuna > Acacia catechu > Dalbergia sissoo > Melia azedarach. The component wise trend was in the order of stem > root > branch > leaf > bark for all the species and contributed 45.79, 27.69, 12.32, 7.72 and 6.48 % respectively, mean carbon concentration among all biomass components ranged from 40 – 48 %, with the highest carbon proportion in stem and lowest in bark. Over the study period, the dynamic pattern of biomass carbon sequestration potential of different tree species was similar to that of total biomass production. The highest carbon sequestration potential of Terminalia arjuna was about 9.54 t C ha-1 yr-1, whereas, least was accumulated in Melia azedarach (3.44 t C ha-1 yr-1). Total soil organic carbon (SOC) in surface soil (0-15 cm) ranged 8.10 to 14.88 Mg ha-1. Total carbon sequestration in terrestrial system (biomass + soil) was observed maximum in Terminalia arjuna plantation with the rate of 11.03 t C ha-1year -1, which was 95 per cent more than tree-less area. Higher nutritional level (N, P & K) was observed under canopy of Terminalia arjuna than other three tree species and control. An enhanced enzymatic activity besides microbial biomass carbon was observed in underneath soil of different species than tree-less area.
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Keywords
carbon storage, soil in forest, Forestry, tree plantations, Soil Science, Carbon sequestration, Microbial biomass carbon