Abstract

Carbon is sequestered by the plant photosynthesis and stored as biomass in different parts of the tree. Carbon sequestration rate has been measured for young species (6 years age) of Shorea robusta at Chadra forest in Paschim Medinipur district, Albizzia lebbek in Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah district, Tectona grandis at Chilapata forest in Coochbehar district and Artocarpus integrifolia at Banobitan within Kolkata of West Bengal in India by Automated Vaisala Made Instrument GMP343 and aboveground biomass carbon has been analyzed by CHN analyzer. The specific objective of this article is to measure carbon sequestration rate and aboveground biomass carbon potential of four young species of Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifolia. The carbon sequestration rate (mean) from the ambient air during winter season as obtained by Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifoliawere 11.13, 14.86 and 2.57 g/h in overcast skies and 4.22 g/h respectively. The annual carbon sequestration rate from ambient air were estimated at 8.97 t C ha^-1by Shorea robusta, 11.97 t C ha^-1 by Albizzia lebbek, 2.07 t C ha^-1 by Tectona grandis and 3.33 t C ha^-1 by Artocarpus integrifolia. The percentage of carbon content (except root) in the aboveground biomass of Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifolia were 47.45, 47.12, 45.45 and 43.33, respectively. The total aboveground biomass carbon stock per hectare as estimated for Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis and Artocarpus integrifolia were 5.22, 6.26, 7.97 and 7.28 t C ha^-1, respectively in these forest stands.

Key words: Shorea robusta, Albizzia lebbek, Tectona grandis, Artocarpus integrifolia, carbon sequestration rate, aboveground biomass carbon stock.