Spatial distribution of forest biomass carbon (Above and below ground) in Indian forests

Abstract

Forest carbon (C) estimates are the key inputs to the understanding of the global C cycle. We report the estimates of forest carbon pool and its spatial distribution in the Indian forests for the years 1994 and 2010 at 5km grid level. This study improves upon earlier spatial estimates of Indian forest biomass carbon by using data from a robustly designed National Forest Inventory (NFI). The realized sampling intensity has addressed the large heterogeneity of the Indian forest types and allowed the computation of 5km grid level forest C, yielding a realistic estimate of forest biomass C in Indian forests. Forest cover density maps were intersected with 5km mesh and estimates of forest area, forest carbon density for each Agro-ecological sub region and forest carbon pools were linked to the 5km grid coverage of India. National forest carbon estimates for the years 1994 and 2010 are 3911.78 and 4368.03TgC respectively, and these estimates showed a net increase of 456.25TgC in 16years. Uncertainty of the estimates has been addressed spatially. Mean forest carbon density increased from 61.14Mgha−1 in 1994 to 64.08Mgha−1 in 2010. C densities for dense and open forest in 1994 estimated as 77.08 and 38.47Mgha−1 with total C pools of 2895.28TgC and 1016.50TgC which has increased to 80.24Mgha−1 and 41.69Mgha−1 with total C pools of 3176.48TgC and 1191.55TgC in 2010. This study provides the first 5km level C analysis for Indian forests. Spatial distribution of C shows large differences in C density over Indian forests indicating that estimates of the spatial distribution of C are even more important than the total C pool estimates of the country.