Biomass and Carbon Stock Assessment in the Sub-Tropical Forests of Manipur, North-East India

A. Thokchom, Pratap S. Yadava

Abstract


The study was undertaken to assess biomass and carbon stock in threesub-tropical forest ecosystems in Churachandpur district of Manipur, NE India located at 93̊ 15' to 94̊ 00' E longitude and 24̊00' to 24̊ 30' N latitude with an elevation ranging from 900 m to 1100 m abovemean sea level. Forest sites I and II wasdominated by Phoebe hainesiana and Gmelina arborea whereas siteIII by Schima wallichii and Ficus cunia. Aboveground biomass was calculatedusing allometric regression model and aboveground carbon stock was determinedconsidering 48% of carbon in the total aboveground biomass. All the forestsites exhibited high tree density in 10-15cm diameter class (sapling stage) anddecreased in subsequent diameter classes. Carbon stock was recorded to behighest in 10-15 cm diameter class and declined with the increase of diameterclasses in all the forest sites owing to high density of tree species in thelower diameter classes. Small trees (10-20cm diameter class) contributed 80 to87% of total carbon stock across the forest sites. The carbon stock wasestimated to be minimum in site-III (81.17 Mg C ha-1) dominated by Schimawallichii - Ficus cunia and minimum in site-I (118.24 Mg C ha-1)dominated by Phoebe hainesiana - Gmelina arborea.Thus, Phoebe hainesiana - Gmelina arborea community dominatedforests will play important role in carbon sequestration in high altitudesub-tropical forest of Manipur, North EastIndia.

Keywords


Biomass; Carbon Stock; Diameter at Breast Height; North EastIndia; Regression Model; Sub-tropical Forests

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