Assessment of Above-Ground Carbon Stock in Large-Girth Trees of Gubbalamangamma Sacred Grove, Telangana, India

Abstract

Sacred groves represent traditionally protected forest patches that serve as important reservoirs of biodiversity and carbon storage in tropical landscapes. The present study assessed the above-ground carbon (AGC) stock of large-girth trees in the Gubbalamangamma Sacred Grove, Kannaigudem (S), Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, covering an area of approximately 1,376 ha. A targeted inventory approach was employed to document 122 large trees with a girth at breast height (GBH) ≥ 1 m, representing 27 species belonging to 17 families. For each tree, GBH and height were measured, and above-ground biomass was estimated using allometric equations incorporating wood specific gravity. Carbon stock was calculated using a standard carbon fraction of 0.47 of biomass. The recorded trees exhibited considerable structural variation, with GBH ranging from 101 cm to 531 cm and height ranging from 8 m to 30 m, indicating the presence of mature and old-growth individuals. The total above-ground carbon stock stored by the recorded trees was estimated at 236.85 Mg C. Species such as Mangifera indica, Xylia xylocarpa, Terminalia paniculata, Schleichera oleosa, Pongamia pinnata, and Careya arborea contributed substantially to the overall carbon pool. The highest carbon storage per individual tree was recorded in Ficus religiosa (0.5998 Mg C), followed by Mangifera indica (0.5579 Mg C). Carbon storage increased markedly with increasing tree girth, highlighting the disproportionate role of large-diameter trees in forest carbon sequestration. The findings demonstrate that the sacred grove functions as an important localised carbon reservoir and underscore the ecological significance of conserving sacred groves for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.