Organic carbon storage in trees within different Geopositions of Chittagong (South) Forest Division, Bangladesh

Abstract

The organic carbon storage in trees and organic carbon flow with geoposition of trees was estimated in the forest area of Chittagong (South) Forest Division within geo-position 91°47′ and 92°15′ East longitude and 21°45′ and 22°30′ North latitude. The study was conducted through stratified random sampling by identifying each sampling point through Global Positioning System (GPS). It was found that above ground organic carbon storage (t/hm2), below ground organic carbon (t/hm2) and total biomass organic carbon (t/hm2) was respectively the highest in Dipterocarpus turbinatus (Garjan) (7.9, 1.18 and 9.08 t/hm2) followed by Tectona grandis (Teak) (5.66, 0.85 and 6.51 t/hm2), Artocarpus chaplasha (Chapalish) (2.32, 0.34 and 2.66 t/hm2), Artocarpus lacucha (Batta) (1.97, 0.29 and 2.26 t/hm2) and Artocarpus heterophyllus (Jackfruit) (1.7, 0.25 and 2.26 t/hm2). From the study it was revealed that organic carbon stock was the highest (142.7 t/hm2) in the geo-position 22° Latitude and 92° Longitude and was the lowest (4.42 t/hm2) in the geo-position 21° 50′ Latitude and 92° 2.5′ Longitude. The forest of the study area is a good reservoir of organic carbon so has a good capacity to sequester organic carbon from the atmosphere. Sustainable forest management may help to sequester more organic carbon so that economic benefit for the country and environmental benefit in the international arena are possible from the study area.