PJB-2018-925
Tree distribution pattern, growing stock characteristics and biomass carbon density of Mongolian scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) plantation of Horqin sandy land, China
Alamgir Khan, Xiao Zhang, Kebin Zhang, Arshad Iqbal, Adnan Ahmad, Sajjad Saeed, Muhammad Hayat and Xiaohui Yang
Abstract
In the recent scenario of global warming, there is a growing concern of planted forest as a potential option for the mitigation of climate change, combating desertification and land degradation. The amount and monitoring of biomass and carbon in planted forests are necessary for policies formulation and mitigation strategies for global climate change. This study estimates tree distribution, growing stock attributes and biomass allocation in different tree components with respect to different diameter classes (4-14, 15-25, 26-36 cm) in planted Mongolian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) forests, southern-east China. The study also underlines the carbon density in upper and understory vegetation, soil, litter, deadwood and cone of the planted forest ecosystem. The result showed that stem density, basal area, height, volume and biomass varied between 144 to 25, 1.009 to 1.607 (m2 ha-1), 5.56 to 12.06 (m), 2.77 to 7.71 (m3 ha-1) and 2.74 to 5.17 (Mg ha-1) in respective diameter classes. The maximum biomass in upper story vegetation was recorded in the stem (62.87 %) followed by branches (17.25 %), roots (17.12 %) and foliage (2.69%). The biomass carbon in upper story vegetation was in the range of 1.37 ± 0.11 to 13.96 ± 0.41 Mg C ha-1. Soil carbon was found in the range of 25.10±11.67 to 6.07±2.26 at the depth 0-20 and 80-100 cm respectively. Similarly the carbon stock of litters, dead wood, fruits and grasses was 0.138 and 0.050 (Mg C ha-1) respectively. Altogether, the estimated carbon density of the plantation was 77. 68 (Mg C ha-1). Out of the total carbon, the soil contributed the highest (75.59%) followed by upper story vegetation biomass carbon (22.17%), litter and dead wood (0.17%) and understory vegetation (0.06%) respectively. The results showed that this forest plantation is an important carbon sink and assisting in mitigating climate change.
To Cite this article:
Khan, A., X. Zhang, K. Zhang, A. Iqbal, A. Ahmad, S. Saeed, M. Hayat and X. Yang. 2020. Tree distribution pattern, growing stock characteristics and biomass carbon density of Mongolian scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) plantation of Horqin sandy land, China. Pak. J. Bot., 52(3): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2020-3(26)
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