Carbon Sequestration Potential of Trees in Kuvempu University …
309
tree in the campus contributed 0.70 t ha
−1 with only 25 individuals and Ficus benghalensis L. with only 11 individuals contributed 0.34 t ha
−1 because of the higher
DBH compared to other trees.
5 Discussions
In the recent past, the rise in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide leading
to global warming and climate change has attained immediate global concern. A few
studies have been carried out so far prior to the urgent need for quantifying the forest
carbon stock for better monitoring and management of the forest biomass carbon.
The carbon stock of 457.0 t ha
−1 in the present study varies with other university
campus carbon stock studies. Carbon sequestration by trees in Bangalore University
campus have come up with 200.931 t ha
−1 of carbon in 449.74 ha of campus area
(Nandini et al. 2017), The total carbon stock inclusive of both above ground and
below ground of all adult trees in the Pondicherry University campus was 2590.48 Mg
(8.7 Mg C/ha) of 297 ha and the highest carbon stock value was observed in Acacia
auriculiformis. (Sundarapandian et al. 2014a, b).
Total carbon stock sequestered by the Eucalyptus plantation and mixed species
plantation was 27.72 and 22.25 t ha
−1 , covering 2.5 ha and 2 ha area, respectively
in the Bharathiar University campus at Coimbatore (Pragasan and Karthick 2013).
The study was conducted in eight selected sample plots of the region, each with
an area of 0.1 hectare in the tropical dry forest of the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
of Kerala located in the Southern Western Ghats, the average biomass and carbon
density of the vegetation were 64.13 t ha
−1 and 30.46 t-C ha
−1 (Padmakumar et al.
2018). According to Murphy and Lugo (1986), the above ground carbon density in
tropical dry forest varies between 14 and 123 t-C ha
−1 .
In our study, the dominated Terminalia paniculata Roth contributed a total of
13% of carbon stock. This is due to high number of individuals. If large number
of dominant tree species is under matured (low DBH), the less contribution to total
carbon stock, even though the species is dominant in the study area. Chaturvedi et al.
(2011) reported a carbon density ranging from 15.6 to 151 t-C ha
−1 in tropical dry
forests of India. Even though the above ground biomass carbon (AGBC) obtained in
the present study is well within the limits of tropical dry forests, the results obtained
are comparatively lower than the values reported in other tropical dry forest of India
and elsewhere (Navar 2009).
Forests are among the most productive terrestrial ecosystems and attractive for
climate change mitigation (Nabuurs et al. 2007). Exchange of carbon between forests
and the atmosphere is being influenced by natural and anthropogenic disturbances.
Understanding and quantifying the impacts of disturbances are prerequisites to selecting forest management options aimed at enhancing carbon sinks and reducing carbon
sources, while maintaining other ecological, social, and economic benefits of the
309
tree in the campus contributed 0.70 t ha
−1 with only 25 individuals and Ficus benghalensis L. with only 11 individuals contributed 0.34 t ha
−1 because of the higher
DBH compared to other trees.
5 Discussions
In the recent past, the rise in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide leading
to global warming and climate change has attained immediate global concern. A few
studies have been carried out so far prior to the urgent need for quantifying the forest
carbon stock for better monitoring and management of the forest biomass carbon.
The carbon stock of 457.0 t ha
−1 in the present study varies with other university
campus carbon stock studies. Carbon sequestration by trees in Bangalore University
campus have come up with 200.931 t ha
−1 of carbon in 449.74 ha of campus area
(Nandini et al. 2017), The total carbon stock inclusive of both above ground and
below ground of all adult trees in the Pondicherry University campus was 2590.48 Mg
(8.7 Mg C/ha) of 297 ha and the highest carbon stock value was observed in Acacia
auriculiformis. (Sundarapandian et al. 2014a, b).
Total carbon stock sequestered by the Eucalyptus plantation and mixed species
plantation was 27.72 and 22.25 t ha
−1 , covering 2.5 ha and 2 ha area, respectively
in the Bharathiar University campus at Coimbatore (Pragasan and Karthick 2013).
The study was conducted in eight selected sample plots of the region, each with
an area of 0.1 hectare in the tropical dry forest of the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
of Kerala located in the Southern Western Ghats, the average biomass and carbon
density of the vegetation were 64.13 t ha
−1 and 30.46 t-C ha
−1 (Padmakumar et al.
2018). According to Murphy and Lugo (1986), the above ground carbon density in
tropical dry forest varies between 14 and 123 t-C ha
−1 .
In our study, the dominated Terminalia paniculata Roth contributed a total of
13% of carbon stock. This is due to high number of individuals. If large number
of dominant tree species is under matured (low DBH), the less contribution to total
carbon stock, even though the species is dominant in the study area. Chaturvedi et al.
(2011) reported a carbon density ranging from 15.6 to 151 t-C ha
−1 in tropical dry
forests of India. Even though the above ground biomass carbon (AGBC) obtained in
the present study is well within the limits of tropical dry forests, the results obtained
are comparatively lower than the values reported in other tropical dry forest of India
and elsewhere (Navar 2009).
Forests are among the most productive terrestrial ecosystems and attractive for
climate change mitigation (Nabuurs et al. 2007). Exchange of carbon between forests
and the atmosphere is being influenced by natural and anthropogenic disturbances.
Understanding and quantifying the impacts of disturbances are prerequisites to selecting forest management options aimed at enhancing carbon sinks and reducing carbon
sources, while maintaining other ecological, social, and economic benefits of the