Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Fluctuation of soil organic carbon storage along the canopy density gradients of different natural forests in Tripura
*Article not assigned to an issue yet
Deb Dipankar, Tripura Kanika, Deb Sourabh, Datta Badal Kumar
Research Articles | Published: 06 May, 2025
First Page: 0
Last Page: 0
Views: 474
Keywords: Active carbon pool, Canopy density, Physico-chemical parameters, Soil organic carbon, Passive carbon pool
Abstract
A study was conducted in natural forests of Tripura, sought to understand the impact of different canopy densities on soil characteristics and carbon storage. The forests were categorized into very dense forest (VDF), moderately dense forest (MDF), and open forest (OF), based on their canopy coverage. The soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, and 30–45 cm of soil depth, and analyzed for various parameters such as pH, moisture content, bulk density, organic carbon, nitrogen concentration, and organic matter. The findings revealed a critical influence of soil depth on all parameters across the canopy densities. Soil pH varied from 5.33 to 5.76, with the highest acidity at the surface layer of VDF and the lowest in the deepest layer of OF. VDF showed substantially higher moisture content, ranging from 21.24 to 23.23%, compared to the other forest canopy density types. Bulk density values across the study fluctuated between 1.29 and 1.88 g cm−3. Organic carbon content differed notably with depth, peaking at 1.98% in the MDF at 15–30 cm and dropping to 0.61% in OF at 30–45 cm depth. VDF had the richest organic matter content at 5.20% in the topsoil. Nitrogen content was found to be highest in the upper and middle soil layers of all forest categories, with MDF recording the maximum soil organic carbon stocks (67.69 Mg ha−1) at the shallowest depth, while OF had the lowest (31.73 Mg ha−1) in the deepest sampled layer. Labile carbon pools like very labile carbon and less labile carbon were recorded higher in VDF, except for the non-labile carbon pool, which was highest in OF. Both active carbon (AC) and passive carbon (PC) pools displayed significant variations depending on canopy types and soil depth, both decreasing with increasing depth. This study underscores the intricate relationship between forest canopy density and soil properties, which has implications for sustainable forest management, carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation strategies.
References
Agboola OO, Akinsoji A, Oyedeji S (2017) Changes in nutrient contents of soil across different land uses in a forest reserve. Not Sci Biol 9(3):414–421
Alvarez R, Alvarez CR (2000) Soil organic matter pools and their association with carbon mineralization kinetics. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64(1):184–189
Awasthi P, Bargali K, Bargali SS, Jhariya MK (2022) Structure and functioning of Coriaria nepalensis Wall dominated Shrub lands in degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya. I. Dry matter dynamics. Land Degrad Dev 33(9):1474–1494. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.4235
Awasthi P, Bargali K, Bargali SS, Khatri K, Jhariya MK (2022) Nutrient partitioning and dynamics in Coriaria nepalensis Wall dominated shrublands of degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya. Front for Glob Change 5:913127. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2022.913127
Baishya R, Barik SK (2011) Estimation of tree biomass, carbon pool and net primary production of an old-growth Pinus kesiya Royle ex. Gordon Forest in north-eastern India. Ann for Sci 68(4):727–736
Baishya R, Barik SK, Upadhaya K (2009) Distribution pattern of aboveground biomass in natural and plantation forests of humid tropics in Northeast India. Trop Ecol 50(2):295–304
Bargali K, Manral V, Padalia K, Bargali SS, Upadhyay VP (2018) Effect of vegetation type and season on microbial biomass carbon in Central Himalayan forest soils, India. CATENA 171(12):125–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.1018.07.001
Bargali SS, Padalia K, Bargali K (2019) Effects of tree fostering on soil health and microbial biomass under different land use systems in central Himalaya. Land Degrad Dev 30(16):1984–1998. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3394
Baumler R (2015) Soils. In: Miehe PCA (ed) Nepal: an introduction to the natural history, ecology and human environment in the Himalayas—a companion to the flora of Nepal, 1st edn. The Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh, pp 125–134
Behera SK, Sahu N, Mishra AK, Bargali SS, Behera MD, Tuli R (2017) Aboveground biomass and carbon stock assessment in Indian tropical deciduous forest and relationship with stand structural attributes. Ecol Eng 99:513–524
Blanco-Canqui H, Lal R (2008) No-tillage and soil-profile carbon sequestration: an on-farm assessment. Soil Sci Soc Am J 72:693–701. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2007.0233
Borah M, Das D, Kalita J (2015) Tree species composition, biomass and carbon stocks in two tropical forest of Assam. Biomass Bioenergy 78:25–35
Bossuyt B, Deil J, Deckers J (1999) Changes Following cultivation and reforestation of loess soils in central Belgium: consequences for future land use. Land 3:151–166
Bremer E, Janzen HH, Johnson AM (1994) Sensitivity of total light fraction and mineralizable organic matter to management practices in a Lethbridge. Can J Soil Sci 74:131–138
Brown K, Pearcel D (1994) The economic value of non-timber benefits of tropical forests: carbon storage. In: Weiss J (ed) The economics of project appraisal and the environment: new horizons in environment economics. E. Elgar, Aldershot; pp 102–119.
Chan KY, Bowman A, Oates A (2001) Oxidizible organic carbon fractions and soil quality changes in an oxic Paleustalf under different pasture leys. Soil Sci 166(1):61–67. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-200101000-00009
Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi AS, Singh JS (2011) Carbon density and accumulation in woody species of tropical dry forest in India. For Ecol Manag 262(8):1576–1588
Chen G, Yang Y, Yang Z, Xie J, Guo J, Gao R, Yin Y, Robinson D (2016) Accelerated soil carbon turnover under tree plantations limits soil carbon storage. Sci Rep 6:19693. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19693
Chhabra A, Palria S, Dadhwal VK (2002) Growing stock-based forest biomass estimate for India. Biomass Bioenergy 22(3):187–194
Chiti T, Grieco E, Perugini L, Rey A, Valentini R (2014) Effect of the replacement of tropical forests with tree plantations on soil organic carbon levels in the Jomoro district, Ghana. Plant Soil 375:47–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1928-1
Deb D, Jamatia M, Debbarma J, Ahirwal J, Deb S, U.K. (2021) Evaluating the role of community-managed forests in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation in Tripura, India. Water Air Soil Pollut 232:166. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05133-z
Eneji AE, Agboola AA, Aiyelari EA, Honna T, Yamamoto S, Irshad M, Endo T (2003) Soil physical and micronutrient changes following clearing of a tropical rainforest. J for Res 8(3):217–221
Evrendileka F, Celik I, Kilic S (2004) Changes in soil organic carbon and physical soil properties along adjacent Mediterranean forest, grassland and cropland ecosystems in Turkey. J Arid Environ 59:743–752
Fisher MJ, Rao IM, Ayarza MA, Lascano CE, Sanz JI, Thomas RJ, Vera RR (1994) Carbon storage by introduced deep-rooted grasses in South African savannas. Nature 371:236–238
FSI (2021) India state of forest report 2021. Accessed 10 Sept 2023
FSI (2023) India state of forest report 2023. Accessed 15 Mar 2024
Gol M (2009) Effects of land use change on soil properties and organic carbon at Dagdami River catchments in Turkey. J Environ Biol 301:825–830
Iqbal S, Tiwari SC (2016) Soil organic carbon pool under different land uses in Achanakmar Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve of Chhattisgarh, India. Curr Sci 110:771–773. https://doi.org/10.18520/CS/v110/i5/771-773
Janzen HH, Campbell CA, Brant SA, Lanfond GP, Townley S (1992) Light-fraction organic matter in soils from long-term crop rotations. Soil Sci Soc Am J 8:200–213
Kraus TEC, Dahlgren RA, Zasoski RJ (2003) Tannins in nutrient dynamics of forest ecosystems: a review. Plant Soil 256:41–66. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026206511084
Lal M, Singh R (2000) Carbon sequestration potential of Indian forests. Environ Monit Assess 60(3):315–327
Lal R (1996) Deforestation and land-use effects on soil degradation and rehabilitation in Western Nigeria. I. Soil physical and hydrological properties. Land Degrad Dev 7:19–45
Lal R (2005) Forest soils and carbon sequestration. For Ecol Manag 220:242–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2005.08.015
Lal R (2016) Soil health and carbon management. Food Energy Secur 5(4):212–222. https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.96
Maggiotto SR, Oliveira D, Marur CJ, Stivari SMS, Leclerc M, Wagner-Riddle C (2014) Potential carbon sequestration in rubber tree plantations in the northwestern region of the Paraná State, Brazil. Acta Sci 36:239–245. https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v36i2.17404
Mandal B, Majumder B, Adhya TK, Bandopadhyay PK, Gangopadhyay A, Sarkar D, Kundu MC, Gupta S, Choudhury GC, Hazra GC, Kundu S, Samantaray RN, Misra AK (2008) Potential of double-cropped rice ecology to conserve organic carbon under subtropical climate. Glob Change Biol 14:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01627.x
Manral V, Bargali K, Bargali SS, Shahi C (2020) Changes in soil biochemical properties following replacement of Banj oak forest with Chir pine in Central Himalaya, India. Ecol Process 9:30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-020-00235-8
Manral V, Bargali K, Bargali SS, Jhariya MK, Padalia K (2022) Relationships between soil and microbial biomass properties and annual flux of nutrients in Central Himalayan forests, India. Land Degrad Dev 33(12):2014–2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.4283
Nath AJ, Brahma B, Sileshi GW, Das AK (2018) Impact of land use changes on the storage of soil organic carbon in active and recalcitrant pools in a humid tropical region of India. Sci Total Environ 624:908–917
Padalia K, Bargali SS, Bargali K, Manral V (2022) Soil microbial biomass phosphorus under different land use systems. Trop Ecol 63:30–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-021-00184-z
Pandey R, Bargali SS, Bargali K, Pandey VC (2023) Temporal variability in fine root dynamics in relation to tree girth size in sub-tropical Shorea robusta forests. Land Degrad Dev 34(5):1522–1537. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.4550
Pandey R, Bargali SS, Bargali K, Karki H, Chaturvedi RK (2024) Dynamics of nitrogen mineralization and fine root decomposition in sub-tropical Shorea robusta Gaertner f. forests of Central Himalaya, India. Sci Total Environ. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170896
Paudel S, Sah JP (2003) Physico chemical characters of soil in tropical soil (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) forests in eastern Nepal. Himal J Sci 1(2):107–110
Pathak K, Nath AJ, Sileshi GW, Lal R, Das AK (2017) Annual burning enhances biomass production and nutrient cycling in degraded Imperata grasslands. Land Degrad Dev. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2707
Paul EA, Collins HP, Leavitt SW (2001) Dynamics of resistant soil carbon of Midwestern agricultural soils measured by naturally occurring 14C abundance. Geoderm 104:239–256
Pradhan BM, Awasthi KD, Bajracharya RM (2012) Soil organic carbon stocks under different forest types in Pokhare khola sub-watershed: a case study from Dhading district of Nepal. Ecol Environ 157. http://www.witpress.com(ISSN 1743-3541). Accessed 15 Mar 2024
Ravindranath NH, Somasekhar BS, Gadgil M (1997) Carbon flows in Indian forest. Clim Change 35(3):297–320
Saha D, Kukul SS, Sharma S (2011) Landuse impacts on SOC fractions and aggregate stability in typicustochrepts of Northwest India. Plant Soil 339:457–470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0602-0
Salunkhe O, Khare PK, Kumari R, Kumari R, Khan ML (2018) A systematic review on the aboveground biomass and carbon stocks of Indian forest ecosystems. Ecol Process 7:17
Sarkar DC, Meitei B, Baisya LK, Das A, Ghosh S, Khumlo LC, Rajkhowa D (2015) Potential of allow chronosequence in shifting cultivation to conserve soil organic carbon in northeast India. CATENA 135:321–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.08.012
Tripathi KP, Singh B (2009) Species diversity and vegetation structure across various strata in natural and plantation forests in Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, North India. Trop Ecol 50:191–200
Kiran V, Bargali., SS., Bargali. (2020) Effect of size and altitude on soil organic carbon stock in homegarden agroforestry system in Central Himalaya, India. Acta Ecol Sin 40(6):483–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chnaes.2020.10.002
Walkley A, Black IA (1934) An examination of Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chronic acid titration method. Soil Sci 37:2938
Wang Q, Wang S (2007) Soil organic matter under different forest types in southern China. Geoderma 142:349–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.09.006
Wang Q, Xiao F, He T, Wang S (2013) Responses of labile soil organic carbon and enzyme activity in mineral soils to forest conversion in the subtropics. Ann for Sci 70:579–587. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-013-0294-8.916
Author Information
Forest Ecology and Agroforestry Lab, Department of Forestry and Biodiversity, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, India