Estimation of Biomass and Carbon Stocks of Trees in Javadhu Hills, Eastern Ghats, India
Résumé
Tropical dry forests are one of the most threatened, widely distributed ecosystems in tropics and estimation of forestbiomass is a crucial component of global carbon emission estimation. Therefore, the present study was aimed to quantifythe biomass and carbon storage in trees on large scale (10, 1 ha plots) in the dry mixed evergreen forest of Javadhuforest of Eastern Ghats. Biomass of adult (≥10 cm DBH) trees was estimated by non-harvest methods. The total biomassof trees in this tropical dry mixed evergreen forest was ranged from 160.02 to 250.8 Mg/ha, with a mean of 202.04±24.64Mg/ha. Among the 62 tree species enumerated, Memecylon umbellatum accumulated greater biomass and carbon stocks(24.29%) more than the other species in the 10 ha study plots. ANOVA revealed that there existed a significant variationin the total biomass and carbon stock among the three plant types (Evergreen, brevi-deciduous and deciduous (F (2,17)=15.343, p＜0.001). Basal area and density was significant positively correlated with aboveground biomass (R2 0.980;0.680) while species richness exhibited negative correlation with above ground biomass (R2 0.167). Finding of presentstudy may be interpreted as most of the trees in this forest are yet to be matured and there is a net addition tostanding biomass leading to carbon storage.