Struktur Vegetasi dan Simpanan Karbon Hutan Hujan Tropika Primer DI Batang Toru, Sumatra Utara

Abstract

ABSTRACT Vegetation structure and carbon stock of primary tropical rain forest at Batang Toru, North Sumatra. Deforestation and forest degradation contribute for 20 to 25 percent of annual total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and to be one of substantial factor of climate change or global warming. Avoided deforestation into carbon-market regime by reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) scheme has been agreed on COP 13 of UNFCCC that was held in Bali on December 2007. REDD application need reliable scientific basic about the amount of carbon storage in well managed natural forest. The aims of this research were to detect vegetation structure and to estimate aboveground biomass, carbon stock and CO2 absorption of primary tropical rain forest at Key Biodiversity Area of Batang Toru Forest Block, North Sumatra Province by existing allometric equation. We designed 20 sampling plots of 20 x 20 m in two forest area, i.e. Aek Game-game forest and Aek Silemes forest. All trees 5 cm at diameter at breast height (dbh) and above were measure and identified. From the study, the distribution of diameter class formed “L” curve which mean an indication as balanced forest. The aboveground biomass of the forest is 544.4 to 583.0 t/ha in Aek Silemes forest and 604.5 to 613.6 t/ha Aek game-game forest. It is equivalent with 272.2 to 291.5 t C/ha or 999.0 to 1,069.9 t CO2/ha in Aek Silemes forest and 302.2 to 306.8 t C/ha or 1,109.2 to 1,125.9 t CO2/ha in Aek game-game forest. More of carbon stock (>46% for Aek Silemes forest and >58% for Aek gamegame forest) saved within dbh of trees 50 cm and above. Therefore, sustainable management of forest ecosystem is very important to reduce CO2 emission from deforestation and forest degradation and to improve the function of forest ecology and economy. Keywords: aboveground biomass, carbon stock, CO2, primary tropical rain forest, Batang Toru-North Sumatra