Carbon pool and sequestration potential of village bamboos in the agroforestry system of northeast India

Abstract

Bamboo forms an important component in the rural landscape of northeast India. Carbon (C) pool and sequestration potential of bamboos in the land managed by farmerswas studied in Cachar district, Assam, northeast India. Allometric equations were developed by harvest method relating leaf, branch and culm biomass with DBH as an independent variable to determine the stand biomass and productivity. C pool and C sequestration in different bamboo culm components was determined by multiplying the biomass with C concentration. C pool in the above ground biomass ranged from 21.69 Mg ha-1 during 2003 to 76.55 Mg ha-1 during 2006. Allocation of C was more in culm components (85 - 89 %) than in branch (8 - 10 %) and leaf (3 - 4 %).  Both current and one year old culm constituted 58 - 73 % (15.86 - 35.63 Mg ha-1) of the total above ground C pool. The rate of above ground C sequestration was 18.93 - 23.55 Mg ha-1 yr-1 with the mean of 21.36 Mg ha-1 yr-1. Of the total annual C sequestration, 82 - 89 % was contributed by new culms and through culm age increment and 14 - 18 % by annual total litter production. Management of village bamboos as a potential source of C sink by smallholder farmers is discussed.

Authors: Arun Jyoti Nath and Ashesh Kumar Das

 Journal Name and Issue: Tropical Ecology 53(3): 287-293 (IF: 0.76)

Year of Publication 2012