Abstract

Author:
Saroni Biswas, Anirban Biswas, Arabinda Das, Saon Banerjee

Doi: 10.1108/efcc-05-2020-0018

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

This study aims to assess the biodiversity of the study area and estimate the carbon stock of two dry deciduous forest ranges of Banka Forest Division, Bihar, India. The phytosociological analysis was performed and C stock estimation based on volume determination through nondestructive methods was done. Phytosociological analysis found total 18,888 [14,893 < 10 cm (diameter at breast height) dbh] and 2,855 (1,783 < 10 cm dbh) individuals at Banka and Bounsi range with basal area of 181,035.00 cm2 and 32,743.76 cm2 , respectively. Importance value index was highest for Shorea robusta in both the ranges. Species diversity index and dominance index, 1.89 and 1.017 at Banka and 1.99 and 5.600 at Bounsi indicated the prevalence of biotic pressure. Decreased dbh and tree height resulted in a lowered growing stock volume as 59,140.40 cm3 ha 1 (Banka) and 71,306.37 cm3 ha 1 (Bounsi). Total C stock at Banka and Bounsi range was 51.8 t ha-1 and 12.56 t ha 1 , respectively where the highest C stock is recorded for Shorea robusta in both the ranges (9.8 t ha 1 and 2.54 t ha-1, respectively). A positive correlation between volume, total biomass and basal area of tree species with C stock was observed. R2 value for Banka range was 0.9269 (volume-C stock), 1 (total biomass-C stock) and 0.647 (basal area-C stock). Strong positive correlation was also established at Bounsi range with R2 value of 1.