Abstract
Present study deals with stand structure, biomass, productivity and carbon sequestration in oak dominated forests mixed with other broad leaved tree species. The sites of studied forests were located in Nainital region between 29058’ N lat. and 79028’ E long at 1500-2150 m elevation. Tree density of forests ranged from 980-1100 ind.ha-1. Of this, oak trees shared 69-97%. The basal area of trees was 31.81 to 63.93 m2 ha-1. R. arboreum and Q. floribunda shared maximum basal area 16.45 and 16.32 m2 ha-1, respectively in forest site-1 and 2 while Quercus leucotrichophora shared maximum (35.69 m2 ha-1) in site-3. The biomass and primary productivity of tree species ranged from 481-569 t ha-1 and 16.9-20.9 t ha-1yr-1, respectively. Of this, biomass and primary productivity of oak tree species accounted for 81 to 95 and 78 to 98%, respectively. Carbon stock and carbon sequestration ranged from 228 to 270 t ha-1 and 8.0 to 9.9 t ha-1yr-1, respectively. The share of oak tree species ranged from 81 to 94.7 and 79 to 97%, respectively. The diversity of tree species ranged from 0.03 to 0.16 in forest sites-1, 2 and 3. The diversity of oak species was 0.08-0.16 in all the forest sites. Thus it is concluded that among the oak tree species, Quercus floribunda and Quercus leucotrichophora were highly dominated in the studied forests. The climax form of oak dominated trees in the studied forest sites depicted slightly lower richness and diversity of tree species compared to the forests in the region and elsewhere. As far as dry matter and carbon of forests is concerned, these estimates are close to the earlier reports of forests in the region. Therefore, studied forests have the potential to increase the diversity, productivity and carbon sequestration of forest tree species by providing the adequate scientific conservation and management inputs.
Highlights
Stand structure significantly determines the aspects of dry matter productivity and carbon potential of forest in each site
Carbon stock and carbon sequestration values were estimated as suggested by Magnussen and Reed based on biomass, productivity and factor to get the carbon values of respective component[13]
Maximum basal area accounted for R. arboreum (16.45) followed by Q. floribunda (16.32 m2 ha-1)
Summary
Stand structure significantly determines the aspects of dry matter productivity and carbon potential of forest in each site. The productivity of forests depends on stand structure and composition of forest and impacted by several other factors such as climate, soil condition, availability of moisture, and conservation and management practices. In this regard, forest vegetation of any climatic and edaphic condition varies with the variation in environment of the habitat. The Himalayan moist temperate forest is one the major forest type that characterized by extensive cover of trees belonging to conifers and broad leaved oak and other species in the forests which extends from 1500 to 3000 m elevation in Central Himalaya.
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