Sains Malaysiana 42(8)(2013): 1041–1050

 

Above Ground Biomass-carbon Partitioning, Storage and Sequestration in a Rehabilitated Forest, Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia

(Pembahagian, Takungan, Sekuestrasi Biojisim-karbon Atas Tanah di Hutan Terpulih,

Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia)

 

 

J.H.R. Kueh1*, N.M. Ab. Majid2, G. Seca1& O.H. Ahmed1

1Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus

P.O. Box 396, 97008 Bintulu Sarawak, Malaysia

 

2Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43440 Serdang, Selangor D.E. Malaysia

 

Received: 10 February 2012 /Accepted: 27 March 2013

 

ABSTRACT

Forest degradation and deforestation are some of the major global concerns as it can reduce forest carbon storage and sequestration capacity. Forest rehabilitation on degraded forest areas has the potential to improve carbon stock, hence mitigate greenhouse gases emission. However, the carbon storage and sequestration potential in a rehabilitated tropical forest remains unclear due to the lack of information. This paper reports an initiative to estimate biomass-carbon partitioning, storage and sequestration in a rehabilitated forest. The study site was at the UPM-Mitsubishi Corporation Forest Rehabilitation Project, UPM Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Bintulu, Sarawak. A plot of 20 × 20 m2 was established each in site 1991 (Plot 1991), 1999 (Plot 1999) and 2008 (Plot 2008). An adjacent natural regenerating secondary forest plot (Plot NF) was also established for comparison purposes. The results showed that the contribution of tree component biomass/carbon to total biomass/carbon was in the order of main stem > branch > leaf. As most of the trees were concentrated in diameter size class ≤ 10 cm for younger rehabilitated forests, the total above ground biomass/carbon was from this class. These observations suggest that the forests are in the early successional stage. The total above ground biomass obtained for the rehabilitated forest ranged from 4.3 to 4,192.3 kg compared to natural regenerating secondary forest of 3,942.3 kg while total above ground carbon ranged from 1.9 to 1,927.9 kg and 1,820.4 kg, respectively. The mean total above ground biomass accumulated ranged from 1.3 × 10-2 to 20.5 kg/0.04 ha and mean total carbon storage ranged from 5.9 × 10-3 to 9.4 kg/0.04 ha. The total CO2 sequestrated in rehabilitated forest ranged from 6.9 to 7,069.1 kg CO2/0.04 ha. After 19 years, the rehabilitated forest had total above ground biomass and carbon storage comparable to the natural regeneration secondary forest. The forest rehabilitated activities have the potential to increase carbon stock through tree planting. Therefore, forest rehabilitation has shown the potential role as a carbon sink that helps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and mitigate climate change.

 

Keywords: Biomass partitioning; carbon sequestration; forest biomass; forest carbon; natural regenerating secondary forest; rehabilitated forest

 

ABSTRAK

Degradasi dan kehilangan hutan adalah antara keprihatian global yang utama kerana ia boleh mengurangkan takungan dan kapasiti sekuestrasi karbon hutan. Pemulihan hutan di kawasan hutan yang telah terdegradasi mempunyai potensi untuk meningkatkan stok karbon, maka ia boleh mengurangkan pelepasan gas rumah hijau. Walau bagaimanapun, takungan dan potensi sekuestrasi karbon di hutan tropika terpulih adalah kurang jelas kerana kekurangan maklumat. Kertas ini melaporkan satu inisiatif untuk membuat anggaran pembahagian, takungan dan sekuestrasi biojisim-karbon di hutan terpulih. Tapak kajian adalah di Projek Pemulihan Hutan UPM-Mitsubishi Corporation, UPM Kampus Bintulu Sarawak, Bintulu, Sarawak. Plot bersaiz 20 × 20 m2 telah ditubuhkan setiap satu di tapak 1991 (Plot 1991), 1999 (Plot 1999) dan 2008 (Plot 2008). Satu plot di hutan sekunder berregenerasi secara semula jadi yang bersebelahan (Plot NF) ditubuhkan untuk tujuan perbandingan. Keputusan menunjukkan sumbangan biomass/karbon di komponen pokok kepada jumlah biomass/karbon dalam susunan batang utama > dahan > daun. Kebanyakan pokok tertumpu di saiz kelas diameter ≤ 10 cm untuk hutan terpulih yang muda, maka jumlah biojisim/karbon atas tanah adalah daripada kelas tersebut. Pemerhatian tersebut mencadangkan hutan tersebut adalah pada peringkat awal sesaran. Jumlah biojisim atas tanah untuk hutan terpulih berjulat daripada 4.3 ke 4,192.3 kg berbanding dengan hutan sekunder berregenerasi secara semula jadi dengan 3,942.3 kg manakala jumlah karbon atas tanah, masing-masing berjulat daripada 1.9 ke 1,927.9 kg dan 1,820.4 kg. Min jumlah pengumpulan biojisim atas tanah berjulat daripada 1.3 × 10-2 ke 20.5 kg/0.04 ha dan jumlah takungan karbon berjulat daripada 5.9 × 10-3 ke 9.4 kg/0.04 ha. Jumlah sekuestrasi CO2 di hutan terpulih berjulat daripada 6.9 ke 7,069.1 kg CO2/0.04 ha. Selepas 19 tahun, hutan terpulih mempunyai jumlah takungan biojisim dan karbon atas tanah yang setara dengan hutan sekunder beregenerasi secara semulajadi. Aktiviti pemulihan hutan menunjukkan potensi untuk meningkatkan stok karbon melalui penamanan pokok. Oleh yang demikian, pemulihan hutan terpulih menunjukkan potensi dalam berperanan sebagai kawasan tadahan karbon yang boleh membantu dalam mengurangkan pelepasan gas rumah hijau dan mengurangkan perubahan iklim.

 

Kata kunci: Biojisim hutan; hutan sekunder beregenerasi secara semula jadi; hutan terpulih; karbon hutan; pembahagian biojisim; sekuestrasi karbon

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*Corresponding author; email: roland@btu.upm.edu.my

 

 

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