Aboveground biomass and carbon stock in the largest sacred grove of Manipur,Northeast India

Aboveground biomass and carbon stock in the largest sacred grove of Manipur was estimated for trees with diameter [10 cm at 1.37 m height.The aboveground biomass,carbon stock,tree density and basal area of the sacred grove ranged from 962.94 to 1130.79 Mg ha~(-1),481.47 to 565.40 Mg ha~(-1) C,1240 to 1320 stem ha~(-1) and79.43 to 90.64 m~2 ha~(-1),respectively.Trees in diameter class of 30–40 cm contributed the highest proportion of aboveground biomass(22.50–33.73%).The aboveground biomass and carbon stock in research area were higher than reported for many tropical and temperate forests,suggesting a role of spiritual forest conservation for carbon sink management.     

Carbon storage in biomass,litter, and soil of different native and introduced fast-growing tree plantations in the South Caspian Sea

Replantation of degraded forest using rapidgrowth trees can play a significant role in global carbon budget by storing large quantities of carbon in live biomass,forest floor,and soil organic matter.We assessed the potential of 20-year old stands of three rapid-growth tree species,including Alnus subcordata,Populus deltoides and Taxodium distichum,for carbon(C) storage at ecosystem level.In September 2013,48 replicate plots(16 m × 16 m) in 8 stands of three plantations were established.36 trees were felled down and fresh biomass of different components was weighed in the field.Biomass equations were fitted using data based on the 36 felled trees.The biomass of understory vegetation and litter were measured by harvesting all the components.The C fraction of understory,litter,and soil were measured.The ecosystem C storage was as follows: A.subcordata(626.5 Mg ha~(-1)) [ P.deltoides(542.9Mg ha~(-1)) [ T.distichum(486.8 Mg ha~(-1))(P \ 0.001),of which78.1–87.4% was in the soil.P.deltoides plantation reached the highest tree biomass(206.6 Mg ha~(-1)),followed by A.subcordata(134.5 Mg ha~(-1)) and T.distichum(123.3 Mg ha~(-1)).The highest soil C was stored in theplantation of A.subcordata(555.5 Mg ha~(-1)).The C storage and sequestration of the plantations after 20 years were considerable(25–30 Mg ha~(-1) year~(-1)) and broadleaves species had higher potential.Native species had a higher soil C storage while the potential of introduced species for live biomass production was higher.     

Stocks and dynamics of soil organic carbon and coarse woody debris in three managed and unmanaged temperate forests

The effect of forest conservation on the organic carbon (C) stock of temperate forest soils is hardly investigated. Coarse woody debris (CWD) represents an important C reservoir in unmanaged forests and potential source of C input to soils. Here, we compared aboveground CWD and soil C stocks at the stand level of three unmanaged and three adjacent managed forests in different geological and climatic regions of Bavaria, Germany. CWD accumulated over 40–100 years and yielded C stocks of 11 Mg C ha^?1 in the unmanaged spruce forest and 23 and 30 Mg C ha^?1 in the two unmanaged beech–oak forests. C stocks of the organic layer were smaller in the beech–oak forests (8 and 19 Mg C ha^?1) and greater in the spruce forest (36 Mg C ha^?1) than the C stock of CWD. Elevated aboveground CWD stocks did not coincide with greater C stocks in the organic layers and the mineral soils of the unmanaged forests. However, radiocarbon signatures of the O _e and O _a horizons differed among unmanaged and managed beech–oak forests. We attributed these differences to partly faster turnover of organic C, stimulated by greater CWD input in the unmanaged forest. Alternatively, the slower turnover of organic C in the managed forests resulted from lower litter quality following thinning or different tree species composition. Radiocarbon signatures of water-extractable dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the top mineral soils point to CWD as potent DOC source. Our results suggest that 40–100 years of forest protection is too short to generate significant changes in C stocks and radiocarbon signatures of forest soils at the stand level.     

Conversion of tropical moist forest into cacao agroforest: consequences for carbon pools and annual C sequestration

Tropical forests store a large part of the terrestrial carbon and play a key role in the global carbon (C) cycle. In parts of Southeast Asia, conversion of natural forest to cacao agroforestry systems is an important driver of deforestation, resulting in C losses from biomass and soil to the atmosphere. This case study from Sulawesi, Indonesia, compares natural forest with nearby shaded cacao agroforests for all major above and belowground biomass C pools (n = 6 plots) and net primary production (n = 3 plots). Total biomass (above- and belowground to 250 cm soil depth) in the forest (approx. 150 Mg C ha^?1) was more than eight times higher than in the agroforest (19 Mg C ha^?1). Total net primary production (NPP, above- and belowground) was larger in the forest than in the agroforest (approx. 29 vs. 20 Mg dry matter (DM) ha^?1 year^?1), while wood increment was twice as high in the forest (approx. 6 vs. 3 Mg DM ha^?1 year^?1). The SOC pools to 250 cm depth amounted to 134 and 78 Mg C ha^?1 in the forest and agroforest stands, respectively. Replacement of tropical moist forest by cacao agroforest reduces the biomass C pool by approximately 130 Mg C ha^?1; another 50 Mg C ha^?1 may be released from the soil. Further, the replacement of forest by cacao agroforest also results in a 70–80 % decrease of the annual C sequestration potential due to a significantly smaller stem increment.     

Long-term response to area of competition control in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalyptus globulus</Emphasis> plantations

Numerous studies have quantified the responses to vegetation management in Eucalyptus plantations but most publications have reported early responses in tree growth and a gap in knowledge exist about the magnitude and duration of growth responses throughout the whole rotation. We evaluated the long-term response (9 years-old) of E. globulus across a gradient of sites to different intensity levels of free area of competing vegetation around individual tree seedlings. Competing vegetation intensity levels considered free areas ranging between 0 (control) to 2.54 m² plus a treatment with total weed control. Competing vegetation biomass production during the first growing season was 2.9, 6.5, 2.2 and 12.9 Mg ha^?1, for sites ranging from low to high annual rainfall. Across sites, maximum response in stand volume ranged between 58 and 262 m³ ha^?1 at age 9 years and was proportional to the amount of competing biomass controlled during the first growing season. Total competing vegetation control showed the largest response in stand volume at sites with 2.9 and 12.9 Mg ha^?1 of competing vegetation. However, the 2.54 m² vegetation control treatment showed the maximum response for sites with 2.2 and 6.5 Mg ha^?1 of competing vegetation. The duration of response for vegetation control treatments ranged between 5 and 9 years. However, at the site with the largest accumulation of competing vegetation biomass the response to vegetation control showed a sustained and divergent response. Our results suggest that vegetation control improved site resources acquisition increasing long-term stand productivity by reducing environmental limitations to tree growth differentially at each site.     

Long-term study of above- and below-ground biomass production in relation to nitrogen and carbon accumulation dynamics in a grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) plantation on former agricultural land

In the Northern and Baltic countries, grey alder is a prospective tree species for short-rotation forestry. Hence, knowledge about the functioning of such forest ecosystems is critical in order to manage them in a sustainable and environmentally sound way. The 17-year-long continuous time series study is conducted in a grey alder plantation growing on abandoned agricultural land. The results of above- and below-ground biomass and production of the 17-year-old stand are compared to the earlier published respective data from the same stand at the ages of 5 and 10 years. The objectives of the current study were to assess (1) above-ground biomass (AGB) and production; (2) below-ground biomass: coarse root biomass (CRB), fine root biomass (FRB) and fine root production (FRP); (3) carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) accumulation dynamics in grey alder stand growing on former arable land. The main results of the 17-year-old stand were as follows: AGB 120.8 t ha^?1; current annual increment of the stem mass 5.7 t ha year^?1; calculated CRB 22.3 t ha^?1; FRB 81 ± 10 g m^?2; nodule biomass 31 ± 19 g m^?2; fine root necromass 11 ± 2 g m^?2; FRP 53 g DM m^?2 year^?1; fine root turnover rate 0.54 year^?1; and fine root longevity 1.9 years. FRB was strongly correlated with the stand basal area and stem mass. Fine root efficiency was the highest at the age of 10 years; at the age of 17 years, it had slightly reduced. Grey alder stand significantly increased N and C_org content in topsoil. The role of fine roots for the sequestration of C is quite modest compared to leaf litter C flux.     

Carbon stock estimation for tree species of Sem Mukhem sacred forest in Garhwal Himalaya, India

Carbon stock estimation was conducted in tree species of Sem Mukhem sacred forest in district Tehri of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. This forest is dedicated to Nagraj Devta and is dominated by tree species, including Quercus floribunda, Quercus semecarpifolia and Rhododendron arboreum. The highest values of below ground biomass density, total biomass density and total carbon density were (34.81±1.68) Mg·ha^?1, (168.26±9.04) Mg·ha^?1 and (84.13±4.18) Mg·ha^?1 for Pinus wallichiana. Overall values of total biomass density and total carbon density calculated were 1549.704 Mg·ha^?1 and 774.77 Mg·ha^?1 respectively. Total value of growing stock volume density for all species was 732.56 m³·ha^?1 and ranged from (144.97±11.98) m³·ha^?1 for Pinus wallichiana to (7.78±1.78) m³·ha^?1 for Benthamidia capitata.     

Predictive models for biomass and carbon stocks estimation in Grewia optiva on degraded lands in western Himalaya

Grewia optiva Drummond is one of important agroforestry tree species grown by the farmers in the lower and mid-hills of western Himalaya. Different models viz., monomolicular, logistic, gompetz, allometric, rechards, chapman and linear were fitted to the relationship between total biomass and diameter at breast height (DBH) as independent variable. The adjusted R² values were more than 0.924 for all the seven models implying that all models are apparently equally efficient. Out of the six non-linear models, allometric model (Y = a × DBH ^b ) fulfils the validation criterion to the best possible extent and is thus considered as best performing. Biomass in different tree components was fitted to allometric models using DBH as explanatory variable, the adjusted R² for fitted functions varied from 0.872 to 0.965 for different biomass components. The t values for all the components were found non-significant (p > 0.05), thereby indicating that model is valid. Using the developed model, the estimated total biomass varied from 6.62 Mg ha^?1 in 4 year to 46.64 Mg ha^?1 in 23 year old plantation. MAI in biomass varied from 1.66–2.05 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1. The total biomass carbon stocks varied from 1.99 Mg ha^?1 in 4 year to 15.27 Mg ha^?1 in 23 year old plantation. Rate of carbon sequestration varied from 0.63–0.81 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1. Carbon storage in the soil up to 30 cm soil depth varied from 25.4 to 33.6 Mg ha^?1.     

Sapling biomass allometry and carbon content in five afforestation species on marginal farmland in semi-arid Benin

Allometric equations are routinely used in the estimation of biomass stocks for carbon accounting within forest ecosystems. However, generic equations may not reflect the growth trajectories of afforestation species that are introduced to degraded farmland characterized by water and nutrient limitations. Using sequential measurements of the height, basal diameter, and above- and belowground biomass of juvenile trees, we developed allometric equations for five woody species (Moringa oleifera Lam., Leucaena leucocephala Lam., Jatropha curcas L., Anacardium occidentale L. and Parkia biglobosa Jacq.) subjected to a gradient of water and nutrient availability in an afforestation trial on degraded cropland in the semi-arid zone of Benin, West Africa. For three of the species studied, the allometric relationships between basal diameter and biomass components (i.e. leaves, stems and roots) were described best by a simple power-law model (R² > 0.93). The incorporation of species-specific height–diameter relationships and total height as additional predictors in the power-law function also produced reasonable estimates of biomass. Fifteen months after planting, roots accounted for 10–58% of the total biomass while the root-to-shoot ratio ranged between 0.16 and 0.73. The total biomass of the saplings ranged between 1.4 and 10.3 Mg ha^?1, yielding 0.6–4.3 Mg C ha^?1, far exceeding the biomass in the traditional fallow system. The rate of stem carbon sequestration measured ca. 0.62 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1. Overall, the allometric equations developed in this study are generally useful for assessing the standing shoot and root biomass of the five afforestation species during the juvenile growth stage and can help in reporting and verifying carbon stocks in young forests.     

Modeling analysis of potential carbon sequestration under existing agroforestry systems in three districts of Indo-gangetic plains in India

The Indo-gangetic plains (IGP) in India occupies 13 % of the total geographical area and produces 50 % of total food grain to feed 40 % population of the country. Dynamic CO2FIX model v3.1 has been used to assess the baseline (2011) carbon and to estimate the carbon sequestration potential (CSP) of agroforestry systems (AFS) for a simulation period of 30 years in three districts viz. Ludhiana (upper IGP in Punjab), Sultanpur (middle IGP in Uttar Pradesh) and Uttar Dinajpur (lower IGP in West Bengal) respectively. The estimated numbers of trees existing in farmer’s field on per hectare basis in these districts were 37.95, 6.14 and 6.20, respectively. The baseline standing biomass in the tree components varied from 2.45 to 2.88 Mg DM ha^?1 and the total biomass (tree + crop) from 11.14 to 25.97 Mg DM ha^?1 in the three districts. The soil organic carbon in the baseline ranged from 8.13 to 9.12 Mg C ha^?1 and is expected to increase from 8.63 to 24.51 Mg C ha^?1. The CSP of existing AFS (for 30 years simulation) has been estimated to the tune of 0.111, 0.126 and 0.551 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1 for Sultanpur, Dinajpur and Ludhiana districts, respectively. CSP of AFS increases with increasing tree density per hectare. Site specific climatic parameters like monthly temperature, annual precipitation and evapotranspiration also moderates the CSP of AFS. The preliminary estimates of the area under AFS’s were 2.06 % (3,256 ha), 2.08 % (6,440 ha) and 12.69 % (38,860 ha) in Sultanpur, Dinajpur and Ludhiana respectively.     

Variation in vegetation composition,biomass production,and carbon storage in ridge top forests of high mountains of Garhwal Himalaya

Abstract

The present study was aimed to anticipate how forest composition, regeneration, biomass production, and carbon storage vary in the ridge top forests of the high mountains of Garhwal Himalaya. For this purpose five major forest types—(a) Pinus wallichiana, (b) Quercus semecarpifolia, (c) Cedrus deodara, (d) Abies spectabilis, and (e) Betula utilis mixed forests—were selected on different ridge tops in the Bhagirathi Catchment Area of the Uttarkashi District of Garhwal Himalaya. The highest species richness (10 species) and stand density (804 ± 184.5 stems ha^?1) were recorded in Abies spectabilis forests, whereas lowest species richness (4 species) and species density (428 ± 144.7 stems ha^?1) were found in Quercus semecarpifolia forests. The total basal cover (TBC) values were maximum (91.1 ± 24.4 m² ha^?1) in Cedrus deodara forests and minimum (26.5 ± 11.7 m² ha^?1) in Pinus wallichiana forests. The highest total biomass density (TBD) (464.2 ± 152.5 Mg ha^?1) and total carbon density (TCD; 208.9 ± 68.6 Mg C ha^?1) values were recorded for Cedrus deodara forests; however, lowest TBD (283.4 ± 74.8 Mg ha^?1) and TCD (127.5 ± 33.7 Mg C ha^?1) values for Quercus semecarpifolia forests. Our study suggests that Abies spectabilis-dominated forests should be encouraged for biodiversity enrichment and reducing carbon emissions on ridge top forests of high mountains.     

Short-term changes in the soil carbon stocks of young oil palm-based agroforestry systems in the eastern Amazon

The current expansion of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in the Brazilian Amazon has mainly occurred within smallholder agricultural and degraded areas. Under the social and environmental scenarios associated with these areas, oil palm-based agroforestry systems represent a potentially sustainable method of expanding the crop. The capacity of such systems to store carbon (C) in the soil is an important ecosystem service that is currently not well understood. Here, we quantified the spatial variation of soil C stocks in young (2.5-year-old) oil palm-based agroforestry systems with contrasting species diversity (high vs. low); both systems were compared with a ~10-year-old forest regrowth site and a 9-year-old traditional agroforestry system. The oil palm-based agroforestry system consisted of series of double rows of oil palm and strips of various herbaceous, shrub, and tree species. The mean (±standard error) soil C stocks at 0–50 cm depth were significantly higher in the low (91.8 ± 3.1 Mg C ha^?1) and high (87.6 ± 3.3 Mg C ha^?1) species diversity oil palm-based agroforestry systems than in the forest regrowth (71.0 ± 2.4 Mg C ha^?1) and traditional agroforestry (68.4 ± 4.9 Mg C ha^?1) sites. In general, no clear spatial pattern of soil C stocks could be identified in the oil palm-based agroforestry systems. The significant difference in soil carbon between the oil palm area (under oil palm: 12.7 ± 2.3 Mg C ha^?1 and between oil palm: 10.6 ± 0.5 Mg C ha^?1) and the strip area (17.0 ± 1.4 Mg C ha^?1) at 0–5 cm depth very likely reflects the high input of organic fertilizer in the strip area of the high species diversity oil palm-based agroforestry system treatment. Overall, our results indicate a high level of early net accumulation of soil C in the oil palm-based agroforestry systems (6.6–8.3 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1) that likely reflects the combination of fire-free land preparation, organic fertilization, and the input of plant residues from pruning and weeding.     

Quantification of organic carbon and primary nutrients in litter and soil in a foothill forest plantation of eastern Himalaya

The present study was an effort to understand the amount of litter fall and its subsequent decomposition and quantify the release of available nutrients and soil physicochemical characteristics in plantations of four forest tree species(Lagerstroemia parviflora, Tectona grandis, Shorea robusta and Michelia champaca) in the Chilapatta Reserve Forest of the Cooch Behar Wildlife Division in the Terai zone of West Bengal, India. The most litter(5.61 Mg ha~(-1))was produced by T. grandis plantation and the least(4.72 Mg ha~(-1)) by L. parviflora. The material turnover rate to the soil through decomposition from total litter was fastest during the first quarter of the year and subsequently decreased during the next two quarters. The material turnover rate was only 1 year, which indicates that more than90% of the total litter produced decomposed within a year.The available primary nutrient content in litter varied across the four plantations over the year. The plantations generally did not significantly influence the soil physical characteristics but did significantly influence the availability of primary nutrients and organic carbon at two depths(1–15 and16–30 cm) over the year. The availability of soil primary nutrients in the four plantations also increased gradually from the first quarter of the year to the third quarter and then decreased during the last quarter to the same level as in the first quarter of the year at both depths. The availability for soil organic carbon in the plantations followed a similar trend. The amount of litter produced and the material turnover in the soil in the different plantations differed, influencing the nutrient availability and organic carbon at the plantations. The amount of soil organic carbon was highest for T. grandis(2.52 Mg ha~(-1)) and lowest for L. parviflora(2.12 Mg ha~(-1)). Litter is the source of soil organic matter,and more the litter that is produced by the plantations, the higher will be the content and amount of soil organic carbon in the plantation.     

Do thinnings influence biomass and soil carbon stocks in Mediterranean maritime pinewoods?

The effects of silvicultural treatments on carbon sequestration are poorly understood, particularly in areas like the Mediterranean where soil fertility is low and climatic conditions can be harsh. In order to improve our understanding of these effects, a long-term thinning experiment in a stand of Mediterranean maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) was studied to identify the effects of thinning on soil carbon (forest floor and mineral soil), above and belowground biomass and fine and coarse woody debris. The study site was a 59-year-old pinewood, where three thinnings of differing intensities were applied: unthinned (control), moderate thinning and heavy thinning. The three thinning interventions (for the managed plots) involved whole-tree harvesting. The results revealed no differences between the different thinning treatments as regards the total soil carbon pool (forest floor + mineral soil). However, differences were detected in the case of living aboveground biomass and total dead wood debris between unthinned and thinned plots; the former containing larger amounts of carbon. The total carbon present in the unthinned plots was 317 Mg ha^?1; in the moderately thinned plots, it was 256 Mg ha^?1 and in the case of heavily thinned plots, 234 Mg ha^?1. Quantification of these carbon compartments can be used as an indicator of total carbon stocks under different forest management regimes and thus identify the most appropriate to mitigate the effects of global change. Our results indicated that thinning do not alter the total soil carbon content at medium term, suggesting the sustainability of these silvicultural treatments.     

Biomass production,carbon sequestration and nutrient characteristics of 22-year-old support trees in black pepper (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Piper nigrum</Emphasis>. L) production systems in Kerala,India

Diverse kinds of fast growing multipurpose trees are traditionally grown as support trees (standards) for trailing black pepper vines in the humid tropics of India. Apart from differential black pepper yields, such trees exhibit considerable variability to accumulate biomass, carbon and nutrients. An attempt was made to assess the biomass production, carbon sequestration potential (tree + soil) and nutrient stocks of six multipurpose tree species (age: 22 years) used for trailing black pepper vines (Acacia auriculiformis, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Grevillea robusta, Macaranga peltata, Ailanthus triphysa and Casuarina equisetifolia). Results indicate that G. robusta showed the highest total biomass production (365.72 Mg ha^?1), with A. triphysa having the least value (155.13 Mg ha^?1). Biomass allocation among tissue types followed the order stemwood > roots > branchwood > twigs > leaves. Total C stocks were also highest for G. robusta (169 Mg C ha^?1), followed by A. auriculiformis (155 Mg C ha^?1). Mean annual carbon increment also followed a similar trend. Among the various tissue fractions, stemwood accounted for the highest N, P and K stocks, implying the potential for nutrient export from the site through wood harvest. All the support trees showed significantly higher soil carbon content compared to the treeless control. Soil N, P and K contents were higher under A. auriculiformis than other species. Nitrogen fixation potential, successional stage of the species, stand age and tree management practices such as lopping may modify the biomass allocation patterns and system productivity.     

Factors influencing biomass and carbon storage potential of different land use systems along an elevational gradient in temperate northwestern Himalaya

We observed the influence of five different altitudes and prevailing agro ecosystems on biomass and carbon sequestration potential in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The study area had five prevailing land uses viz., agriculture, agro-horticulture, horticulture, silvi-pasture, and forest at four elevations representing about 1 °C temperature change. The results showed that maximum total biomass of 404.35 Mg C ha^?1 was accumulated by forest landuse and followed a decreasing trend in the order as forest > silvi-pasture > agro-horticulture > horticulture > agriculture. Similar trends were also seen with respect to biomass carbon (C) density and C-sequestration potential of different land uses. Biomass and carbon density potential enhanced with the increase in the altitudinal ranges from 1100–1400 to 2000–2300 m a.s.l. But, the rate of C-sequestration potential enhanced from 1100 to 2000 m and declined at 2000–2300 m a.s.l. Maximum carbon density (393.29 Mg C ha^?1) of both plant as well as soil was displayed by the forest-based land use systems situated at an altitudinal gradient of 2000–2300 m a.s.l. The rate of C-sequestration was maximum (2.17 Mg ha^?1) in the agro-horticulture at 2000–2300 m a.s.l. This study brings out the potential of different land use systems influenced by varying factors on their C-sequestration potential in western Himalayan elevation gradient, thereby providing useful information for effective management in a climate change mitigation and carbon budget.     

Aboveground biomass increment and stand dynamics in tropical evergreen broadleaved forest

Forest ecosystems can modify the atmospheric CO₂ through biomass accumulation mostly in tree stems with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 10 cm. Aboveground biomass increment (ΔAGB), and changes in stand AGB, no. stems and basal area (BA) were calculated from mortality, recruitment, and growth data of tree stems in tropical evergreen broadleaved forest, Central Highland Vietnam. Data were derived from ten 1-ha permanent plots established in 2004, where all stems with DBH ≥ 10 cm were tagged, identified to species, and measured for DBH in 2004 and 2012. In an 8-year duration, the increment was 53 ± 10 stems ha^–1, 7.8 ± 0.3 m² ha^–1 for BA and 86.0 ± 4.6 Mg ha^–1 for AGB. The stem mortality rate was 0.9% year^–1 and the stem recruitment rate was 2.2% year^–1. Annual ΔAGB was 10.8 Mg ha^–1 year^–1, equaling to 5.4 Mg C ha^–1 year^–1. Of which, tree stems of 35–80 cm DBH classes accounted for 65%. The results indicated that the forest is in stage of carbon sequestration. Any disturbances causing death of 35–80 cm DBH tree stems will much reduce carbon sequestration capacity and it will take a long time for AGB to return to pre-disturbance stage.     

Variation of stem density and vegetation carbon pool in subtropical forests of Northwestern Himalaya

The present study was conducted in five forest types of subtropical zone in the Northwestern Himalaya, India. Three forest stands of 0.1 ha were laid down in each forest type to study the variation in vegetation carbon pool, stem density, and ecosystem carbon density. The stem density in the present study ranged from (483 to 417 trees ha^?1) and stem biomass from (262.40 to 39.97 tha^?1). Highest carbon storage (209.95 t ha^?1) was recorded in dry Shiwalik sal forest followed by Himalayan chir forest > chir pine plantation > lower Shiwalik pine forest > northern mixed dry deciduous forest. Maximum tree above ground biomass is observed in dry Shiwalik sal forests (301.78 t ha^?1), followed by upper Himalayan chir pine forests (194 t ha^?1) and lower in Shiwalik pine forests (138.73 t ha^?1). The relationship with stem volume showed the maximum adjusted r² (0.873), followed by total density (0.55) and average DBH (0.528). The regression equation of different parameters with shrub biomass showed highest r² (0.812) and relationship between ecosystem carbon with other parameters of different forest types, where cubic function with stem volume showed highest r² value of 0.873 through cubic functions. Our results suggest that biomass and carbon stocks in these subtropical forests vary greatly with forest type and species density. This variation among forests can be used as a tool for carbon credit claims under ongoing international conventions and protocols.     

A Natural Forest of Commercial Timber Species: Logging or Not Logging

Most tropical forests outside protected areas have been or will be selectively logged because the timber industry is a main income-generating resource for many developing countries. Therefore, understanding the composition of commercial timber species and logging types is key for sustainable forest management in countries like Vietnam as they move toward fulfilling Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) agreements. Seven 1-ha plots were surveyed in the Central Highland of Vietnam, and 18 commercial tree species from these plots, whose timber is widely used by local people for housing and furniture making and timber is easily sold at local markets for high prices, were analyzed. In total, 151 tree species with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of ≥?10 cm were recorded. The 18 commercially valuable species assessed in this study accounted for 33.2% of all stems (total of 524 stems ha^?1 for all species), 47.1% of basal area (total of 34.35 m² ha^?1 for all species), and 50.8% of aboveground biomass/AGB (total of 262.68 Mg ha^?1 for all species). Practicing diameter-limit harvesting of all commercially valuable species with DBH of ≥?40 cm, which is widely performed in Vietnam, will reduce the number of stems by 7%, basal area by 31.6%, and AGB by 38.2%. Because such harvesting practices cause severe ecological impacts on the remaining forest, logged forests may require >?40 years to recover the structure status of a pre-logged forest. In addition, the recovery of the 18 commercially valuable species may require a much longer time because they comprised 33.2% of stems. Permission for logging natural forests should be given in Vietnam to sustain lives of local communities, where logging has been prohibited. However, alternative harvesting systems, such as reduced-impact logging systems, should be considered. The systems selected must simultaneously generate economic returns for local people and respect the REDD+ agreements with regard to protecting biodiversity and reducing carbon emissions.     

How much carbon can the Siberian boreal taiga store: a case study of partitioning among the above-ground and soil pools

In the context of global carbon cycle management, accurate knowledge of carbon content in forests is a relevant issue in contemporary forest ecology. We measured the above-ground and soil carbon pools in the darkconiferous boreal taiga. We compared measured carbon pools to those calculated from the forest inventory records containing volume stock and species composition data. The inventory data heavily underestimated the pools in the study area(Stolby State Nature Reserve, central Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russian Federation). The carbon pool estimated from the forest inventory data varied from 25(t ha-1)(low-density stands) to 73(t ha-1)(highly stocked stands). Our estimates ranged from 59(t ha-1)(lowdensity stands) to 147(t ha-1)(highly stocked stands). Our values included living trees, standing deadwood, living cover, brushwood and litter. We found that the proportion of biomass carbon(living trees): soil carbon varied from99:1 to 8:2 for fully stocked and low-density forest stands,respectively. This contradicts the common understanding that the biomass in the boreal forests represents only16–20 % of the total carbon pool, with the balance being the soil carbon pool.