Estimation of Biomass and Carbon Stock: Chichawatni Irrigated Plantation in Punjab, Pakistan
Muhammad Afzal*
Aqeela Mobeen Akhter**
Carbon management in forests is a global concern to mitigate the increased concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. This study was conducted to estimate the carbon stock of Chichawatni Irrigated Plantation in District Sahiwal, Pakistan.
East sub-division of Chichawatni Irrigated Plantation was selected for the carbon stock assessment of above and below ground live biomass of trees, shrubs and herbs in addition to litter and soil. Some 5 per cent and 1 per cent sampling was carried out for tree and non-tree woody biomass vegetation respectively. Total above ground biomass of all tree species was calculated by developing different biomass equations. Destructive sampling was done to collect biomass data of 55 trees of three main tree species of the plantation, Dalbergia sissoo (Shisham), Eucalyptus camalldulensis and Bombax cieba (cotton tree) to develop biomass equations for diameter and biomass i.e. 1.5003D2-41.404D+303.22, 0.0755D2.6235 and 2E+06Ln(D)-5E+06 respectively. For biomass calculation of other species present in the plantation combined equation i.e 11.879D3.0616 was developed. Below ground biomass was calculated by ratio method as given by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in REDD Methodological Module. Biomass of non woody species was assessed by simple harvesting method.
The results revealed that the carbon stock in herbs and shrubs was 0.60 and 4.16 t/ha respectively. The carbon allocation in litter in the plantation assessed by quadrat method came to be 1.66 t/ha. Soil carbon up to 0-30cm was calculated by Walkley-Black and C&S analyser method which came to be 23.46 t/ha and 59.25 t/ha respectively.
This study emphasizes the importance of forest ecosystem in the global carbon cycle through estimating carbon stock in various carbon pools of Chichawatni irrigated plantation. The study highlights the need for a national level carbon databank of all forests which will help foresters and policy makers in enhancing the carbon stock through sustainable management of forests in the context of climate change.
* Dr. Muhammad Afzal is the Director of Punjab Forestry Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
** Ms. Aqeela Mobeen Akhter is a Research Officer at the Punjab Forestry Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan.