Quantification of Carbon Stocks and Sequestration Rates for Tropical Forest

Abstract

Abstract Terrestrial carbon resources such as forests function as carbon sinks when there is an increase in the sum of all carbon stocks retained. Preserving healthy forests therefore has the dual benefits of both protecting their carbon stocks from being emitted to the atmosphere while maintaining the ability of these stocks to continue actively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This paper described PETRONAS effort to quantify carbon stocks, sequestration rate and trial values for its two forest conservation areas in Peninsula Malaysia. The carbon stock assessment is calculated using the Gain-Loss Method. Gains can be attributed to growth (increase of biomass) and to transfer of carbon from one pool to another (e.g. transfer of carbon from the live biomass carbon pool to the dead organic matter pool due natural disturbances). Losses can be attributed to transfers of carbon from one pool to another (e.g. emissions due to decay). The five carbon pools for this study are; aboveground carbon stocks, belowground carbon stock, deadwood, litter and soil carbon. Calculation of aboveground biomass included tree height and diameter at breast height (dbh) data collected from tree inventories 10 cm dbh and above. Height and dbh of dead standing trees, leaf litter trapping and soil sampling were also collected on monthly basis to calculate the carbon pools for dead wood, leaf litter and soil organic carbon. In the absence of the age of the forests, the carbon stock assessment is repeated after 12 months to determine their annual sequestration rates. This two-year project that commenced in June 2010 is carried out in collaboration with Forest Research Institute of Malaysia. It is seen as a pivotal effort to demonstrate the importance of conserving forests to sequester carbon and avoiding emissions, hence combating global warming and climate change.