Carbon Sequestration Potential of Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests in Southern Haryana, India

Vikram Singh, Sharda R. Gupta, Narender Singh

Abstract


This study analyzes plant biomass, and carbon sequestration in the soil –plant system of the tropical dry deciduous forest ecosystems.  The study was carried out in three protected forests in the tropical dry deciduous forest region in Gurgaon district (270 27’ to 280 32’ N; 760 39’ to 770 32’ E; 186 to 437 m altitude), southern Haryana, India. The forests are dominated by Ailanthus excelsa and Cassia fistula (AE-CF) at Bhondsi; Acacia leucophloea and Balanites aegyptiaca (AL-BA) at Gawalpahari; Anogeissus pendula and Acacia leucophloea (AP-AL) at Raisina. The tree density was 492.5 to 642.5 trees ha-1 with a total basal area of 14.62 to 23.54 m2 ha-1. The aboveground biomass of trees in the three forests was 37.93 to 63.73 Mg ha-1; the belowground biomass being 11.12 to 17.81 Mg ha-1. The total net productivity of trees in the three forests was 6.17 to 12.06 Mg ha-1 yr-1.  Total carbon pool in the three forests was (Mg ha-1): 52.59 AE-CF forest, Bhondsi; 34.17 AL-BA forest, Gawalpahari; 33.61 AP-AL forest, Raisina. The contribution of shrubs to total carbon pool varied from 12.59 to 19.78 %.  The herb layer accounted for 3.48 to 11.48% of total carbon stock in plants. Net carbon flux in the three forests ranged from 2.91 to 5.55 Mg C ha-1yr-1. The soil carbon pool was regulated by vegetation composition and the spatial distribution of carbon in the soil profile.  The soil organic carbon pool (Mg C ha-1) was : 7.383 to 4.923 (0-15cm); 6.693 to 4.183 (15-30cm); 4.166 to 3.335 (30-45cm); 3.590 to 2.500 (45-60cm).The soil organic carbon pool at 0-30cm soil depth was  54.73% to 64.52 % of the total organic carbon pool up to 60cm soil depth. The studied forests showed an appreciable carbon sequestration potential in the plant soil system which could play an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. 

Keywords


Biomass; Litter Fall; Carbon Pool; Carbon Flux; Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

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