Tree Diversity and Ecosystem Carbon Stock Assessment in Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam

Abstract

A study was carried out to assess tree diversity, forest carbon stock and carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in Nambor tropical semi-evergreen forest. A total of 53 tree species from 47 genera and 32 families were recorded in the forest. Vatica lanceifolia was the dominant tree species with maximum 33.78 importance value index (IVI), 0.30 Shannon diversity index (H′) and 0.03 Simpson’s index (D) followed by Lagerstroemia reginae (20.75 IVI, 0.18 H′ and 0.004 D), Dysoxylum excelsum (17.70 IVI, 0.20 H′ and 0.006 D), Sterculia villosa (14.15 IVI, 0.09 H′ and 0.0007 D) and Toona ciliata (11.60 IVI, 0.07 H′ and 0.0004 D) as codominant species. Among the forest carbon pools, maximum 50.32% carbon was stored in soil followed by 39.42% in above ground biomass and 10.21, 0.03 and 0.02% in below ground, leaf litter and dead debris pools, respectively. Total ecosystem carbon stock in Nambor forest was estimated to be 244.78 Mg ha−1. The estimated carbon stock was extrapolated over 3700 hectare area and found to be 905186.50 Mg. The total forest carbon stock was also converted into CO2 equivalents and estimated as 3,322,034.46 Mg. The study observed that forest ecosystem offsets significant amount of atmospheric CO2; therefore, conservation and management of forest resources are imperative to combat global climate change.