A Robust Carbon Sequestration Rate and Carbon Stock Assessment Method in Agroforest Systems

Abstract

Climate change is deciding social-ecological system, threatening natural ecosystem. Nature human extreme participation interaction are changing climate conditions. This study was conducted to assess the role of different agroforestry systems to combat climate change through carbon sequestration; including i) the inventory data such as tree DBH (cm), height (m), biomass, carbon stock, soil carbon and total carbon stock of different agroforestry systems, and ii) regarding impact of different agroforestry systems on soil physicochemical properties are demonstrated. The study investigated the role of different agroforestry systems in biomass accumulation, carbon sequestration and also the soil physio-chemical properties at various depths under these systems. Among agroforestry systems, agri-silvihorticulture system and agri-silviculture system accumulate higher biomass and carbon as compared to agri-horticulture and agri-horti-silviculture system. This may be due to the higher variation in tree species, number and their size, management practices etc. Soil carbon also varies with the type of agroforestry system. Higher soil carbon at 0- 30 cm depth was found in agri-silvi-horticulture system. Soil physiochemical properties such as soil EC, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous and organic matter was higher in surface soil (0-15 cm depth) as compared to sub soil (15-30 cm). Thus, it was concluded that agroforestry systems, apart from providing livilihoods to local dwellers, play an important role in improving soil health, produce greater biomass and capture higher amount of vegetation and soil carbon.