PJB-2023-447
ESTIMATING CARBON DYNAMICS IN FRAGMENTED FOREST OF KAHUTA
Nain Tara
Abstract
The loss of forests has a considerable impact on woodland fragmentation. It causes the fragmentation of flora and fauna as well as habitat alteration. Particularly a result, there are alterations in community interaction which cause more tree death and damage, as seen near the boundaries of woodland divisions. According to earlier research, dispersion of forests might have a significant impact overall and may vary amongst, causing certain species of plants to display less successful survival rates. The objectives of this research were to find the total aboveground carbon stock (t ha-1) and the second objective was to assess the soil organic carbon stock (t ha-1).
The purpose of research was to explore the relationship between forest fragmentation and carbon dynamics. We investigated the effect of woodland fragmentation on tree biomass, above ground carbon stock and soil organic carbon. Above ground carbon was calculated through allometric equation whereas soil organic carbon was calculated through Walkely-black method. Results stated that fragmented forest contain less carbon stock (t ha-1) as compare to non-fragmented forest which was 8.31±2.50 t ha-1(p= .026) similarly, SOC in fragmented forest was less which was 6.361±3.02 t ha-1 followed by non-fragmented soils which was 8.31±2.50 t ha-1. We estimated that the area is left with 76% of AGCS due to fragmentation. Our study area was prone to fire, infrastructures, road building due to which the dense forest got converted into fragments. There was 24% loss of AGCS due to forest fragmentation in study area. Statistical analysis (t-test) revealed that the results are significant (p=0.025). The study provided a valuable baseline data for estimating fragmentation and carbon stock in fragmented and non-fragmented forest of kahuta. Forest is main constituent which plays vital role in maintaining of earth’s carbon cycle and sequestration of carbon dioxide. Soil organic matter is biggest carbon pool where tons of carbon sequesters annually which includes carbon consumption is called carbon farming in which lands are managed which automatically consumes and store more carbon. Forest fragmentation is the major problem nowadays which adversely affects the every part of world. The main aim of this study was to assess carbon dynamics in fragmented forests of kahuta, Pakistan.
The AGCS and soil carbon stock data was analyzed statistically by using SPPS version 21 and Microsoft excel. The main focus of this study was to compare the two forest values (fragmented and non-fragmented forest) so, we use student t-test.
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