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Research paper thumbnail of Biomass and carbon stock assessment in community managed forests of Meghalaya

Hill geographer, 2020

The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the comm... more The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the community managed forest ecosystems in Meghalaya. Biomass and carbon stock assessment plays a very important role in the carbon accounting of forests ecosystem as this can be considered as a climate mitigation activity under the clean development mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol. The biomass estimation process for trees was done using single parameter universally accepted non-destructive algometric equation and for components like shrubs, herbs and litter, harvest methods was applied. The biomass to carbon and carbon to carbon dioxide level are obtained using standard conversion factors. Mean carbon stock in the above-ground vegetation was recorded to be 137 (±22.61) t ha-1. The highest contribution was made by tree biomass ranging from 46-72 percent of the total ecosystem carbon stock. The mean soil carbon stock was about 33.21 (±4.76) t ha-1 contributing up to 36 percent to the total ecosystem. The mean ecosystem biomass and carbon stock carbon stock in the present study was 350 (±55.67) t ha-1 and 198(±55.23) t ha-1 respectively which is equivalent to about 725 t ha-1 carbon dioxide level. The study highlighted the contribution of the community forests combating the global climate by storing a good amount of carbon dioxide in the vegetation and soil. It also signifies the needs of conservation and protection of these forests categories as their destruction or degradation will indicate the releasing of the stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which will enhance the greenhouse effect resulting in climate change.

Research paper thumbnail of Application of Allometric Equations to Estimate Carbon Stock and Above-Ground Biomass in Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary, Meghalaya

Conservation of Biodiversity in the North Eastern States of India, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of A note on Sapria himalayana Griff. (Rafflesiaceae) from Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya, India)

Biodiversity journal, Feb 22, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of the doses due to natural radionuclide in the green leafy vegetables of Domiasiat, Meghalaya India

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Baseline assessment of doses and risk due to natural radionuclides in edible biota of Domiasiat, Meghalaya, India

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2011

Radiation dose-risk assessment was carried out for cereal species Brassica compestris var. dichot... more Radiation dose-risk assessment was carried out for cereal species Brassica compestris var. dichotoma, Oryza sativa var. Shalum1, Zea mays, Lactuca indica, Cumunis sativum, and Clocasia esculanta due to naturally available radionuclides 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th in Domiasiat area. The activity in biota and corresponding soil was measured by precipitation method using NaI(TI) detector. Transfer factor (TF) was for Oryza spp. (1.00E-01-40 K, 8.76E-05-232 Th, and 9.11E-05-238 U), for Brassica spp. (5.39E-01-40 K, 8.17E-04-232 Th and 2.96E-04-238 U) and for Zea spp. (3.41E-01-40 K, 5.84E-05-232 Th, 8.87E-05-238 U) etc., respectively. A detailed physio-morphological study of the biota and extensive investigation of ecosystem was carried out for assessment. The data was modeled using FASSET for dose estimation and obtained total dose was 1.58E-04 lGy h À1 in Oryza spp., 2.87E-04 lGy h À1 Brassica spp. and 6.90E-03 lGy h À1 in Zea spp. etc. The dose was compared with the UNSCEAR dataset for screening level dose for biota. Zea spp. was more susceptible for the chronic radiation exposure.

Research paper thumbnail of FOREST CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION POTENTIAL THROUGH REDD+ MECHANISM IN MEGHALAYA, NORTH EASTERN INDIA: A REVIEW

Climate change is one of the burning issues in the present days as it has the capacity to affect ... more Climate change is one of the burning issues in the present days as it has the capacity to affect lives and sustenance on earth. On a global scale there have been a lot of efforts put forward in order to cope with or adapt or simultaneously adapting and coping with slowing down the rate at which climate change is happening. Naturally, earth itself is trying to balance this change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as carbon in the soil and forests vegetation biomass. However forests have always been on pressure from the various developmental activities which ultimately reduce their capacity or potential to store carbon. For this purpose, saving forests is an important step in order to tackle climate change. REDD+ one of the steps that emerge in the UNFCC in order to tackle climate change may possibly helps in saving and improving forests condition which will in turn improve the forests carbon storage capacity and reducing the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere. Successful implementation of REDD+ in Meghalaya, a state with high percentage of forest cover and people directly involving in both the ownership and utilization of forests can positively lead to successful forest conservation and reducing the rise in the green house gases level and ultimately contributing to combating or mitigating climate change.

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of temperature on germination of Citrus macroptera, Citrus latipes and Citrus indica seeds

Seeds are an important means of propagation of Citrus species. Seeds of three wild Citrus namely;... more Seeds are an important means of propagation of Citrus species. Seeds of three wild Citrus namely; Citrus macroptera Montrouz., Citrus latipes (Swingle) Tanaka and Citrus indica Tanaka were germinated at 20°C, 25°C, 30°C and 35°C temperature to observe the effect of temperature on germination. Mean germination time and percentage seed germinated were recorded and used to determine optimum temperature for germination. Viability of seeds determined using chemical and germination tests yielded similar results. Optimum temperature for germination was found to be 28°C for C. macroptera and C. latipes and 26°C for C. indica.

Research paper thumbnail of Allometric Models for Estimation of Forest Biomass in North East India

Forests

In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are re... more In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are recognized as central to global terrestrial carbon cycles. Accurate estimation of forest biomass C is needed to provide information on C fluxes and balances in such systems. The objective of this study was to develop generalized biomass models using harvest data covering tropical semi-evergreen, tropical wet evergreen, sub-tropical broad leaved, and sub-tropical pine forest in North East India (NEI). Among the four biomass estimation models (BEMs) tested AGBest = 0.32(D2Hδ)0.75 × 1.34 and AGBest = 0.18D2.16 × 1.32 were found to be the first and second best models for the different forest types in NEI. The study also revealed that four commonly used generic models developed by Chambers (2001), Brown (1989), Chave (2005) and Chave (2014) overestimated biomass stocks by 300–591 kg tree−1, while our highest rated model overestimated biomass by 197 kg tree−1. We believe the BEMs we developed wi...

Research paper thumbnail of An investigation of the biogeochemistry of the uranium radionuclide in the munitions testing contaminated soil of Kirkcudbright, New Galloway, SW Scotland

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Jun 14, 2011

The understanding of the bio-geochemical behavior of the uranium radionuclides in the environment... more The understanding of the bio-geochemical behavior of the uranium radionuclides in the environmental matrices is crucial for the health safety point of view. The research was carried out in munitions testing sites New Golloway (SW) of Scotland at the Dunderann firing range which is contaminated with depleted uranium and site is particularly important because it provides a controlled environment for the investigation of post depositional association of Depleted Uranium (DU) in contaminated soils. This study used the modified BCR sequential extraction method to investigates the association of DU in at the different sampling location and in a control soil and were followed by elemental analysis using inductively coupled-optical Emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).The Certified Reference Material (CRM) were used for the validation of the concentration. The concentrations of (Bureau of Reference) BCR-extracted Uranium (U) were in the range of 4-40 (±13.2) mg kg-1 for the DU-contaminated sites whilst U was barely detectable in the soil from the control site (Rebury Gun) RGW. With the exception of RGH and RGW, the values for BCR-extracted U compared well with those obtained using Aqaua-regia. The obtained result showed that the maximum Uranium deposition is at RGE and it is 20 mg kg-1 before hitting the target, the 6 mg kg-1 at RGH and minimum is at RGG and RGW control site.

Research paper thumbnail of Status, Utilization and Economic Valuation of Non-timber Forest Products of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science

Non-timber forest products are important component of subsistence and livelihood of tribal commun... more Non-timber forest products are important component of subsistence and livelihood of tribal communities living in and near forests. This is of particular significance in the state of Arunachal Pradesh having more than 80% of geographical area under forest cover and predominantly inhabited by tribal people. Purpose of this study was to document the status and utilization pattern and to assess the economic value of NTFPs of the state. Present study was carried out in eight districts of Arunachal Pradesh viz., Changlang, East Kameng, Lower Subansiri, Tawang, Tirap, Upper Siang, West Kameng and West Siang covering 34 villages and 350 households. Altogether, 135 plant based and 36 animal based non-timber forest products were recorded. Among plant based NTFPs, 54 species were collected for leaves, 30 for stem and 22 for fruits. Most of the animal based NTFPs (93%) were collected/hunted for food. Average 20-40 kg of NTFPs was collected annually per household. Maximum plant based NTFP collec...

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of the doses due to natural radionuclide in the green leafy vegetables of Domiasiat, Meghalaya India

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Oct 1, 2011

A radiation dose assessment exercise was carried out for the Ipomea batata, Allium sativum, Dacau... more A radiation dose assessment exercise was carried out for the Ipomea batata, Allium sativum, Dacaus carota, and Solanum tuberosum due to naturally available radionuclide 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th in the Domiasiat area of Meghalaya. The concentration of radionuclides in biota as well as corresponding soil was measured by precipitation method using NaI detector for continuous 12 months.

Research paper thumbnail of Soil organic carbon and carbon stock in community forests with varying altitude and slope aspect in Meghalaya

The contribution of forest ecosystems to the global climate change mitigation by storing carbon i... more The contribution of forest ecosystems to the global climate change mitigation by storing carbon in the soil and their vegetation in nature is significant. Soil contain three times more carbon than that stored in the vegetation of an area. Altitude is one of the important factors influencing various parameters of the soil including carbon stock. Present study was conducted to understand variation in the soil carbon and carbon stock with respect to altitude and aspect in community forests of three agro ecological regions of Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. The study concluded that, Central upland region with highest elevation has highest level of carbon stock (47.27±2.12t/ha), followed by the Northern undulating region (28.09 ±1.25t/ha) and lowest in the South Precipitous low elevation region (24.24±.60t/ha). The result leads to the conclusion that the areas with higher altitude has higher carbon stock as compared to lower elevation areas which may be attributed to decreasing temperature with increasing alti higher carbon content in the soil. The study also record a strong positively relationship between altitude and other soil parameters like soil organic carbon, nitrogen and car

Research paper thumbnail of Allometric Models for Estimation of Forest Biomass in North East India

Forests

In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are re... more In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are recognized as central to global terrestrial carbon cycles. Accurate estimation of forest biomass C is needed to provide information on C fluxes and balances in such systems. The objective of this study was to develop generalized biomass models using harvest data covering tropical semi-evergreen, tropical wet evergreen, sub-tropical broad leaved, and sub-tropical pine forest in North East India (NEI). Among the four biomass estimation models (BEMs) tested AGBest = 0.32(D2Hδ)0.75 × 1.34 and AGBest = 0.18D2.16 × 1.32 were found to be the first and second best models for the different forest types in NEI. The study also revealed that four commonly used generic models developed by Chambers (2001), Brown (1989), Chave (2005) and Chave (2014) overestimated biomass stocks by 300–591 kg tree−1, while our highest rated model overestimated biomass by 197 kg tree−1. We believe the BEMs we developed wi...

Research paper thumbnail of Biomass and carbon stock assessment in community managed forests of Meghalaya

The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the comm... more The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the community managed forest ecosystems in Meghalaya. Biomass and carbon stock assessment plays a very important role in the carbon accounting of forests ecosystem as this can be considered as a climate mitigation activity under the clean development mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol. The biomass estimation process for trees was done using single parameter universally accepted non-destructive algometric equation and for components like shrubs, herbs and litter, harvest methods was applied. The biomass to carbon and carbon to carbon dioxide level are obtained using standard conversion factors. Mean carbon stock in the above-ground vegetation was recorded to be 137 (±22.61) t ha-1. The highest contribution was made by tree biomass ranging from 46-72 percent of the total ecosystem carbon stock. The mean soil carbon stock was about 33.21 (±4.76) t ha-1 contributing up to 36 percent to the total ecosystem. The mean ecosystem biomass and carbon stock carbon stock in the present study was 350 (±55.67) t ha-1 and 198(±55.23) t ha-1 respectively which is equivalent to about 725 t ha-1 carbon dioxide level. The study highlighted the contribution of the community forests combating the global climate by storing a good amount of carbon dioxide in the vegetation and soil. It also signifies the needs of conservation and protection of these forests categories as their destruction or degradation will indicate the releasing of the stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which will enhance the greenhouse effect resulting in climate change.

Research paper thumbnail of Biomass and carbon stock assessment in community managed forests of Meghalaya

Hill geographer, 2020

The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the comm... more The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the community managed forest ecosystems in Meghalaya. Biomass and carbon stock assessment plays a very important role in the carbon accounting of forests ecosystem as this can be considered as a climate mitigation activity under the clean development mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol. The biomass estimation process for trees was done using single parameter universally accepted non-destructive algometric equation and for components like shrubs, herbs and litter, harvest methods was applied. The biomass to carbon and carbon to carbon dioxide level are obtained using standard conversion factors. Mean carbon stock in the above-ground vegetation was recorded to be 137 (±22.61) t ha-1. The highest contribution was made by tree biomass ranging from 46-72 percent of the total ecosystem carbon stock. The mean soil carbon stock was about 33.21 (±4.76) t ha-1 contributing up to 36 percent to the total ecosystem. The mean ecosystem biomass and carbon stock carbon stock in the present study was 350 (±55.67) t ha-1 and 198(±55.23) t ha-1 respectively which is equivalent to about 725 t ha-1 carbon dioxide level. The study highlighted the contribution of the community forests combating the global climate by storing a good amount of carbon dioxide in the vegetation and soil. It also signifies the needs of conservation and protection of these forests categories as their destruction or degradation will indicate the releasing of the stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which will enhance the greenhouse effect resulting in climate change.

Research paper thumbnail of Application of Allometric Equations to Estimate Carbon Stock and Above-Ground Biomass in Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary, Meghalaya

Conservation of Biodiversity in the North Eastern States of India, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of A note on Sapria himalayana Griff. (Rafflesiaceae) from Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya, India)

Biodiversity journal, Feb 22, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of the doses due to natural radionuclide in the green leafy vegetables of Domiasiat, Meghalaya India

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Baseline assessment of doses and risk due to natural radionuclides in edible biota of Domiasiat, Meghalaya, India

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 2011

Radiation dose-risk assessment was carried out for cereal species Brassica compestris var. dichot... more Radiation dose-risk assessment was carried out for cereal species Brassica compestris var. dichotoma, Oryza sativa var. Shalum1, Zea mays, Lactuca indica, Cumunis sativum, and Clocasia esculanta due to naturally available radionuclides 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th in Domiasiat area. The activity in biota and corresponding soil was measured by precipitation method using NaI(TI) detector. Transfer factor (TF) was for Oryza spp. (1.00E-01-40 K, 8.76E-05-232 Th, and 9.11E-05-238 U), for Brassica spp. (5.39E-01-40 K, 8.17E-04-232 Th and 2.96E-04-238 U) and for Zea spp. (3.41E-01-40 K, 5.84E-05-232 Th, 8.87E-05-238 U) etc., respectively. A detailed physio-morphological study of the biota and extensive investigation of ecosystem was carried out for assessment. The data was modeled using FASSET for dose estimation and obtained total dose was 1.58E-04 lGy h À1 in Oryza spp., 2.87E-04 lGy h À1 Brassica spp. and 6.90E-03 lGy h À1 in Zea spp. etc. The dose was compared with the UNSCEAR dataset for screening level dose for biota. Zea spp. was more susceptible for the chronic radiation exposure.

Research paper thumbnail of FOREST CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION POTENTIAL THROUGH REDD+ MECHANISM IN MEGHALAYA, NORTH EASTERN INDIA: A REVIEW

Climate change is one of the burning issues in the present days as it has the capacity to affect ... more Climate change is one of the burning issues in the present days as it has the capacity to affect lives and sustenance on earth. On a global scale there have been a lot of efforts put forward in order to cope with or adapt or simultaneously adapting and coping with slowing down the rate at which climate change is happening. Naturally, earth itself is trying to balance this change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as carbon in the soil and forests vegetation biomass. However forests have always been on pressure from the various developmental activities which ultimately reduce their capacity or potential to store carbon. For this purpose, saving forests is an important step in order to tackle climate change. REDD+ one of the steps that emerge in the UNFCC in order to tackle climate change may possibly helps in saving and improving forests condition which will in turn improve the forests carbon storage capacity and reducing the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere. Successful implementation of REDD+ in Meghalaya, a state with high percentage of forest cover and people directly involving in both the ownership and utilization of forests can positively lead to successful forest conservation and reducing the rise in the green house gases level and ultimately contributing to combating or mitigating climate change.

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of temperature on germination of Citrus macroptera, Citrus latipes and Citrus indica seeds

Seeds are an important means of propagation of Citrus species. Seeds of three wild Citrus namely;... more Seeds are an important means of propagation of Citrus species. Seeds of three wild Citrus namely; Citrus macroptera Montrouz., Citrus latipes (Swingle) Tanaka and Citrus indica Tanaka were germinated at 20°C, 25°C, 30°C and 35°C temperature to observe the effect of temperature on germination. Mean germination time and percentage seed germinated were recorded and used to determine optimum temperature for germination. Viability of seeds determined using chemical and germination tests yielded similar results. Optimum temperature for germination was found to be 28°C for C. macroptera and C. latipes and 26°C for C. indica.

Research paper thumbnail of Allometric Models for Estimation of Forest Biomass in North East India

Forests

In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are re... more In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are recognized as central to global terrestrial carbon cycles. Accurate estimation of forest biomass C is needed to provide information on C fluxes and balances in such systems. The objective of this study was to develop generalized biomass models using harvest data covering tropical semi-evergreen, tropical wet evergreen, sub-tropical broad leaved, and sub-tropical pine forest in North East India (NEI). Among the four biomass estimation models (BEMs) tested AGBest = 0.32(D2Hδ)0.75 × 1.34 and AGBest = 0.18D2.16 × 1.32 were found to be the first and second best models for the different forest types in NEI. The study also revealed that four commonly used generic models developed by Chambers (2001), Brown (1989), Chave (2005) and Chave (2014) overestimated biomass stocks by 300–591 kg tree−1, while our highest rated model overestimated biomass by 197 kg tree−1. We believe the BEMs we developed wi...

Research paper thumbnail of An investigation of the biogeochemistry of the uranium radionuclide in the munitions testing contaminated soil of Kirkcudbright, New Galloway, SW Scotland

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Jun 14, 2011

The understanding of the bio-geochemical behavior of the uranium radionuclides in the environment... more The understanding of the bio-geochemical behavior of the uranium radionuclides in the environmental matrices is crucial for the health safety point of view. The research was carried out in munitions testing sites New Golloway (SW) of Scotland at the Dunderann firing range which is contaminated with depleted uranium and site is particularly important because it provides a controlled environment for the investigation of post depositional association of Depleted Uranium (DU) in contaminated soils. This study used the modified BCR sequential extraction method to investigates the association of DU in at the different sampling location and in a control soil and were followed by elemental analysis using inductively coupled-optical Emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).The Certified Reference Material (CRM) were used for the validation of the concentration. The concentrations of (Bureau of Reference) BCR-extracted Uranium (U) were in the range of 4-40 (±13.2) mg kg-1 for the DU-contaminated sites whilst U was barely detectable in the soil from the control site (Rebury Gun) RGW. With the exception of RGH and RGW, the values for BCR-extracted U compared well with those obtained using Aqaua-regia. The obtained result showed that the maximum Uranium deposition is at RGE and it is 20 mg kg-1 before hitting the target, the 6 mg kg-1 at RGH and minimum is at RGG and RGW control site.

Research paper thumbnail of Status, Utilization and Economic Valuation of Non-timber Forest Products of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science

Non-timber forest products are important component of subsistence and livelihood of tribal commun... more Non-timber forest products are important component of subsistence and livelihood of tribal communities living in and near forests. This is of particular significance in the state of Arunachal Pradesh having more than 80% of geographical area under forest cover and predominantly inhabited by tribal people. Purpose of this study was to document the status and utilization pattern and to assess the economic value of NTFPs of the state. Present study was carried out in eight districts of Arunachal Pradesh viz., Changlang, East Kameng, Lower Subansiri, Tawang, Tirap, Upper Siang, West Kameng and West Siang covering 34 villages and 350 households. Altogether, 135 plant based and 36 animal based non-timber forest products were recorded. Among plant based NTFPs, 54 species were collected for leaves, 30 for stem and 22 for fruits. Most of the animal based NTFPs (93%) were collected/hunted for food. Average 20-40 kg of NTFPs was collected annually per household. Maximum plant based NTFP collec...

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of the doses due to natural radionuclide in the green leafy vegetables of Domiasiat, Meghalaya India

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Oct 1, 2011

A radiation dose assessment exercise was carried out for the Ipomea batata, Allium sativum, Dacau... more A radiation dose assessment exercise was carried out for the Ipomea batata, Allium sativum, Dacaus carota, and Solanum tuberosum due to naturally available radionuclide 40 K, 238 U and 232 Th in the Domiasiat area of Meghalaya. The concentration of radionuclides in biota as well as corresponding soil was measured by precipitation method using NaI detector for continuous 12 months.

Research paper thumbnail of Soil organic carbon and carbon stock in community forests with varying altitude and slope aspect in Meghalaya

The contribution of forest ecosystems to the global climate change mitigation by storing carbon i... more The contribution of forest ecosystems to the global climate change mitigation by storing carbon in the soil and their vegetation in nature is significant. Soil contain three times more carbon than that stored in the vegetation of an area. Altitude is one of the important factors influencing various parameters of the soil including carbon stock. Present study was conducted to understand variation in the soil carbon and carbon stock with respect to altitude and aspect in community forests of three agro ecological regions of Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. The study concluded that, Central upland region with highest elevation has highest level of carbon stock (47.27±2.12t/ha), followed by the Northern undulating region (28.09 ±1.25t/ha) and lowest in the South Precipitous low elevation region (24.24±.60t/ha). The result leads to the conclusion that the areas with higher altitude has higher carbon stock as compared to lower elevation areas which may be attributed to decreasing temperature with increasing alti higher carbon content in the soil. The study also record a strong positively relationship between altitude and other soil parameters like soil organic carbon, nitrogen and car

Research paper thumbnail of Allometric Models for Estimation of Forest Biomass in North East India

Forests

In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are re... more In tropical and sub-tropical regions, biomass carbon (C) losses through forest degradation are recognized as central to global terrestrial carbon cycles. Accurate estimation of forest biomass C is needed to provide information on C fluxes and balances in such systems. The objective of this study was to develop generalized biomass models using harvest data covering tropical semi-evergreen, tropical wet evergreen, sub-tropical broad leaved, and sub-tropical pine forest in North East India (NEI). Among the four biomass estimation models (BEMs) tested AGBest = 0.32(D2Hδ)0.75 × 1.34 and AGBest = 0.18D2.16 × 1.32 were found to be the first and second best models for the different forest types in NEI. The study also revealed that four commonly used generic models developed by Chambers (2001), Brown (1989), Chave (2005) and Chave (2014) overestimated biomass stocks by 300–591 kg tree−1, while our highest rated model overestimated biomass by 197 kg tree−1. We believe the BEMs we developed wi...

Research paper thumbnail of Biomass and carbon stock assessment in community managed forests of Meghalaya

The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the comm... more The present study aimed to assess the biomass and carbon stock of vegetation and soil of the community managed forest ecosystems in Meghalaya. Biomass and carbon stock assessment plays a very important role in the carbon accounting of forests ecosystem as this can be considered as a climate mitigation activity under the clean development mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol. The biomass estimation process for trees was done using single parameter universally accepted non-destructive algometric equation and for components like shrubs, herbs and litter, harvest methods was applied. The biomass to carbon and carbon to carbon dioxide level are obtained using standard conversion factors. Mean carbon stock in the above-ground vegetation was recorded to be 137 (±22.61) t ha-1. The highest contribution was made by tree biomass ranging from 46-72 percent of the total ecosystem carbon stock. The mean soil carbon stock was about 33.21 (±4.76) t ha-1 contributing up to 36 percent to the total ecosystem. The mean ecosystem biomass and carbon stock carbon stock in the present study was 350 (±55.67) t ha-1 and 198(±55.23) t ha-1 respectively which is equivalent to about 725 t ha-1 carbon dioxide level. The study highlighted the contribution of the community forests combating the global climate by storing a good amount of carbon dioxide in the vegetation and soil. It also signifies the needs of conservation and protection of these forests categories as their destruction or degradation will indicate the releasing of the stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which will enhance the greenhouse effect resulting in climate change.