Prathweesh U. Shetty, Pallavi A., Ajith J. S., Medha N., Dhanyashree M. and A. Ramesh
Abstract
The present study focuses on plant species from the Fabaceae and Dipterocarpaceae families inhabiting the Botanical Garden of the Mangalore University main campus. The carbon sequestration potential and ecological importance of 107 trees belonging to 16 species, 14 genera, and two families were studied. The girth at breast height (GBH) and approximate height of each tree were measured to calculate the amount of carbon sequestered. The total carbon sequestered by the 107 trees was found to be 16336.34 kg. Of the total carbon sequestered, 15621.087 kg were contributed by 99 trees belonging to the Fabaceae family, while the remaining 715.253 kg were sequestered by eight trees from the Dipterocarpaceae family. Within the Fabaceae family, data on average carbon sequestered potential indicates that Pterocarpus marsupium recorded the highest value of 475 kg, followed by Peltophorum pterocarpum, Senegalia catechu and Humboldtia brunonis with 385 kg, 341.58 kg, and 217 kg respectively. The lowest value was found in Adenanthera pavonine, which sequestered 36 kg of carbon. Among three Dipterocarpaceae species, Hopea ponga sequestered the maximum carbon with an average of 121 kg followed by Hopea parviflora and Dipterocarpus indicus with 104.038 and 48.39 kg respectively. Among the families studied, identified tree species included one Critically Endangered (CR), one Endangered (E), one Near Threatened (NT), three Vulnerable (V) and ten Least Concern (LC).