Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ESTIMATION OF ABOVE GROUND BIOMASS CARBON TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL BAMBOO SPECIES FOR REHABILITATION OF DEGRADED JHUM LAND IN ASSAM

Indrani P. Bora, Kuntala N. Barua, Monisha Neog and Arundhati Baruah.

Abstract

In degraded jhum land bamboo grows abundantly in course of natural succession. With a view to identify potential bamboo species for restoration of abandoned shifting cultivation lands an experiment was carried out in Johner Sinar Village of Karbi Anglong district, Assam, India during the period of 2009-2012. Study deals with growth, biomass and carbon storage potential of three economically important bamboo species viz. Bambusa balcooa Roxb., Bambusa tulda Roxb. and Bambusa nutans Wall. Progressive increment of height and DBH has been recorded upto the age of three years and the sequence was observed as B. balcooa> B. tulda > B. nutans. Carbon percentage in above ground parts increases with the increase in age of plantation irrespective to components. Maximum concentration of carbon was recorded in bole followed by twigs and leaves. Compared to other two species B. balcooa has fairly good morphological characteristics but its culm emergence is less. Hence, maximum dry biomass was recorded in B. tulda plantation (76.115 t/ha) due to highest number of culm. Results also reveals highest above ground biomass carbon in B. tulda plantation and thus put forward to be a potential species for rehabilitating the ecologically degraded slopes in jhum fallows of Assam.