Profiles of Carbon Stocks in Forest, Reforestation and Agricultural Land, Northern Thailand
background
This study assesses carbon stocks in various forms and land-use types in the Nam Yao sub-watershed, Thailand, to estimate the impact of land use on carbon stocks.
Research Goals & Methods
The carbon stocks of aboveground, soil organic, and fine root within primary forest, reforestation and agricultural land were estimated through field data collection.
Conclusions & Takeaways
This study reveals that the amount of total carbon stock of forests (357.62 ± 28.51 Mg·ha-1, simplified expression of Mg (carbon)·ha-1) was significantly greater than the reforestation (195.25 ± 14.38 Mg·ha-1) and the agricultural land (103.10 ± 18.24 Mg·ha-1). The study also reveals that soil organic carbon in the forests (196.24 ± 22.81 Mg·ha-1) was significantly greater than the reforestation (146.83 ± 7.22 Mg·ha-1) and the agricultural land (95.09 ± 14.18 Mg·ha-1). The results of this study indicate that a relatively large proportion of carbon loss is due to forest conversion to agricultural land. The authors suggest that carbon can be effectively recaptured through reforestation where high levels of carbon may be stored in biomass as carbon sinks which would help mitigate carbon dioxide.
Reference:
Profiles of carbon stocks in forest, reforestation and agricultural land, Northern Thailand. Journal of Forestry Research. 2008;19:11–18. doi:10.1007/s11676-008-0002-y.
.Affiliation:
- Biological Sciences Program, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand