High carbon storage and oxygen (O2) release potential of Mahagony (Swietenia macrophylla) woodlot plantation in Bangladesh

Abstract

Woodlot plantation takes our attention nowadays because of having high wood value, biomass and carbon stock. It also has considerable potential for regulating climate change by sinking CO2. This study investigated the market value of Swietenia macrophyllawoodlots concerning the current carbon trade mechanism, local timber and oxygen value.The carbon-di-oxide equivalence (CO2e) and release oxygen (O2 Release) ranged from 125.5 to 1004.5 Mg/ha (mean 436.3 Mg/ha) and 91.25–730.26 Mg/ha (mean 317.2 Mg/ha), respectively. Form carbon trade, the Swietenia macrophylla woodlots owner will earn 4,285–34,470 BDT/ha (mean 14,900 BDT/ha). It also seemed that the present market value of release oxygen (O2 Release) ranged from 3.2 to 25.5 million BDT/ha (average 11.1 million BDT/ha). However, the study area's average DBH, height, density, and basal area were 18.9 cm, 12.6 m, 1233 stem/ha, and 36.6 m2/ha, respectively. The above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, and total biomass ranged from 45.9 to 389.7 Mg/ha (mean 166.5 Mg/ha), 22.5–157.7 Mg/ha (mean 71.2 Mg/ha), and 68.4–547.4 Mg/ha (mean 237.7 Mg/ha) correspondingly. Besides, the produced wood volume ranged from 64.95-1225.19 m3/ha (average 481.48 m3/ha). While the price of wood ranged from 0.8 to 15.14 million BDT/ha (mean 5.95 million BDT/ha). However, the above-ground, below-ground, and total carbon ranged 22.97–194.85 Mg/ha (mean 87.27 Mg/ha, 11.23–78.85 Mg/ha (35.61 Mg/ha), and 34.2–273.7 Mg/ha (118.89 Mg/ha) independently.Moreover, our three developed basal area-based allometric models are fit for calculating the carbon stock of Swietenia macrophylla woodlots. This study explores the potentiality of woodlots in Bangladesh. Policymakers should encourage the farmers to create more woodlots that actively participate in climate change mitigation.