ABSTRACT
The agroforestry system is the best option to achieve the net zero carbon emissions target for India. Keeping this view, carbon sequestration and credit potential of gamhar based agroforestry system has been assessed. The experiment was carried out in randomized block design in seven different treatments with five replications. Gamhar tree biomass accumulation was higher in gamhar based agroforestry system compared to sole gamhar. Among different tree components, stem contributed a maximum to total gamhar tree biomass followed by roots, leaves and branches. The average contributions of stems, roots, leaves and branches in total tree biomass in two annual cycles (2016-17 and 2017-18) varied between 50 and 60, 19.8 and 20, 19.2 and 20, and 10.7 and 12.7 percent, respectively. In case of crops, above ground, below ground and total biomass was significantly higher in sole intercrops than gamhar based agroforestry system. Total (Tree + interrops + Soil) carbon stock, carbon sequestration, carbon credit and carbon price were significantly affected by treatments, and was maximum in Sole Greengram-Mustard. Net carbon emission was also recorded lowest in Sole Greengram-Mustard for which the values were 811.55% and 725.24% and 760.69% lower than Sole Gamhar in 2016-17, 2017-18 and in pooled data, respectively.
Subject(s)
Carbon Sequestration , Carbon , Trees , Soil , BiomassABSTRACT
One of the greatest challenges to ecosystems is the rapidity of climate change, and their ability to adjust swiftly will be constrained. Climate change will disrupt the ecological balances, causing species to track suitable habitats for survival. Consequently, understanding the species' response to climate change is crucial for its conservation and management, and for enhancing biodiversity through effective management. This research intends to examine the response of the vulnerable Buchanania cochinchinensis species to climate change. We modeled the potential suitable habitats of B. cochinchinensis for the present and future climatic scenario proxies based on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP), i.e. SSP126, 245, 370 and 585. Maxent was used to simulate the potential habitats of B. cochinchinensis. The study found that ~28,313 km2 (~10.7% of the study area) was a potentially suitable habitat of B. cochinchinensis for the current scenario. The majority of the suitable habitat area ~25,169 km2 occurred in the central and southern parts of the study area. The future projection shows that the suitable habitat to largely increase in the range of 10.5-20% across all the SSPs, with a maximum gain of ~20% for SSP 126. The mean temperature of the wettest quarter (Bio_08) was the most influential contributing variable in limiting the distribution of B. cochinchinensis. The majority of the suitable habitat area occurred in the vegetation landscape. The study shows a southward shifting of B. cochinchinensis habitat by 2050. The phytosociological analysis determined B. cochinchinensis as Shorea robusta's primary associate. Our research provides significant insight into the prospective distribution scenario of B. cochinchinensis habitat and its response to diverse socioeconomic scenarios, and offers a solid foundation for management of this extremely important species.
