Evaluating tree-based land-use systems is of paramount importance in the efforts to mitigate and regulate regional and global climate change, given their superior potential for ecosystem functioning, carbon (C) sequestration and environmental sustainability. However, in the mid-hills of the northwest Himalayas, few studies have measured the potential for carbon sequestration and the ecological benefits of such systems, leaving a critical gap in understanding their role in regional climate regulation. A comprehensive study was therefore conducted with primary goal to evaluate the biomass of 16 different forest ecosystems, including natural and planted forests and to assess the CO2 mitigation rate of different forest plantations. A systematic sampling procedure was used to delineate forest and plantation ecosystems within the Kunihar forest division. A total of 48 main sample plots (16 ecosystems × 3 replications) were laid out randomly, each plot covering 0.1 hectare area. Carbon sequestration rate of forest plantations was estimated from the difference in carbon density between plantation forests and adjacent barren land, and subsequently converted to CO₂-equivalent values using a factor of 3.67 to determine the annual CO₂ mitigation potential of the plantations. The results indicate that the biomass, C density of vegetation and ecosystem were highest in the Lower Western Himalayan Ban-oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) forest (LWH), reaching values of 456.52 Mg ha−1, 228.26 Mg C ha−1, and 382.07 Mg C ha−1, respectively. The study highlights the LWH forest ecosystem as having the potential to store significant amounts of C. Additionally, among plantation ecosystems, Leucaena leucocephala plantation (LP) recorded the maximum rate of C sequestered (6.82 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and CO2 mitigated (25.02 Mg ha−1 yr−1), with the order LP > Mixed plantation (MP) > Acacia catechu plantation (AP) > Olea glandulifera plantation (OP) > Eucalyptus plantation (EP) > Chir pine plantation (CPP). These findings emphasize the critical role of natural and plantation forest ecosystems in enhancing C storage and sequestration rates, underscoring their importance for forest-based climate change mitigation strategies. Implementing and managing high carbon-storing ecosystems like LWH forests and optimizing plantation systems such as LP make a substantial contribution to regional and international climate control initiatives.

Quantifying carbon storage potential of natural and plantation forests in Mid-Hill Northwestern Himalayas: implications for climate change mitigation

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发表日期：

2026年3月5日

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Leishangthem Chanu Langlentombi,
D. R. Bhardwaj,
Jatin Kumar,
Tarun Verma

摘要

Evaluating tree-based land-use systems is of paramount importance in the efforts to mitigate and regulate regional and global climate change, given their superior potential for ecosystem functioning, carbon (C) sequestration and environmental sustainability. However, in the mid-hills of the northwest Himalayas, few studies have measured the potential for carbon sequestration and the ecological benefits of such systems, leaving a critical gap in understanding their role in regional climate regulation. A comprehensive study was therefore conducted with primary goal to evaluate the biomass of 16 different forest ecosystems, including natural and planted forests and to assess the CO₂ mitigation rate of different forest plantations. A systematic sampling procedure was used to delineate forest and plantation ecosystems within the Kunihar forest division. A total of 48 main sample plots (16 ecosystems × 3 replications) were laid out randomly, each plot covering 0.1 hectare area. Carbon sequestration rate of forest plantations was estimated from the difference in carbon density between plantation forests and adjacent barren land, and subsequently converted to CO₂-equivalent values using a factor of 3.67 to determine the annual CO₂ mitigation potential of the plantations. The results indicate that the biomass, C density of vegetation and ecosystem were highest in the Lower Western Himalayan Ban-oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) forest (LWH), reaching values of 456.52 Mg ha⁻¹, 228.26 Mg C ha⁻¹, and 382.07 Mg C ha⁻¹, respectively. The study highlights the LWH forest ecosystem as having the potential to store significant amounts of C. Additionally, among plantation ecosystems, Leucaena leucocephala plantation (LP) recorded the maximum rate of C sequestered (6.82 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and CO₂ mitigated (25.02 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), with the order LP > Mixed plantation (MP) > Acacia catechu plantation (AP) > Olea glandulifera plantation (OP) > Eucalyptus plantation (EP) > Chir pine plantation (CPP). These findings emphasize the critical role of natural and plantation forest ecosystems in enhancing C storage and sequestration rates, underscoring their importance for forest-based climate change mitigation strategies. Implementing and managing high carbon-storing ecosystems like LWH forests and optimizing plantation systems such as LP make a substantial contribution to regional and international climate control initiatives.