Impact of disturbance on biomass, carbon, and nitrogen storage in vegetation and on soil properties of tropical dry deciduous forest in Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

AbstractThe tropical deforestation due to biotic interference, land use change, and population explosion in Asian countries has attracted the global concern with respect to conservation and protection of forest resources. Indian soils are limited in terms of nutrient reserves and organic matters. Our present study deals the influence of disturbance on phytosociology, vegetation carbon (C), and nitrogen (N) along with soil properties of tropical deciduous forest in Chhattisgarh. The stratified random sampling technique was used for quantifying the vegetation. Results revealed that 43.75% species are rare in occurrence in undisturbed forest (UF), and in disturbed forest (DF) about 50% species showed rarity over the area as per the Raunkiaer frequency class of species rarity and commonness. Total density and basal cover were 1090 trees ha−1 and 28.16 m2 ha−1, respectively. in UF and was 190 trees ha−1 and 10.99 m2 ha−1 in DF. The disturbance resulted into 31.63% loss in total biomass in DF compared to UF. The increasing disturbances are altering the forests attributes in terms of poor standing stock, basal area, and diversity in DF. The concentration of dominance and beta diversity value was higher in DF. It may be increased due to influx of generalist species in DF. Stand biomass was found to be 3‐times higher in UF than the DF. Higher value of C and N stock and soil nutrient were found in UF. Thus, proper conservation, protection, and restoration of these forests should be the priority to improve the C pool and ecological services.