Stand structure and carbon storage of Bukit Lawang’s tropical rain forest of Gunung Leuser National Park

Abstract

Deforestation and forest degradation are the main contributors to climate change. Changes in the structure and composition of forests affect the value of biomass and carbon storages. Bukit Lawang’s tropical rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park which has great potential is not only a habitat for key species, namely the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) but also has other biodiversity values. This study aimed to determine the vegetation structure and to estimate the value of standing carbon storage of the forest. The vegetation structure was analyzed by the line transect method and the estimation of biomass and carbon storage values was carried out using an allometric model. Distribution of diameter classes is dominated by trees in the 30-50 cm diameter class, with B strata dominated by Aglaia tomentosa tree species. The value of standing biomass is 523.2-562.2 t/ha, carbon storage is 261.6-281.1 t C/ha and the amount of CO2 gas absorbed is 960.0-1,031.6 t CO2/ha. The results indicate that it is necessary to do better forest management ecosystems in Bukit Lawang to improve and maintain the ecological and economic functions of these ecosystems in order to support the implementation of REDD + in efforts to mitigate climate change in Indonesia.