Assessment of Biomass and Carbon Sequestration Potential in Diverse Forest Types of the Sirsi Forest Range

Abstract

Forests play a vital role in regulating biodiversity and global carbon cycles through their capacity to store and sequester carbon. The present study assessed biomass production and carbon sequestration in moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests of the Sirsi Forest Range, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, a biodiversity hotspot in the central Western Ghats. Using quadrat sampling (20 × 20 m; 68 plots), all trees with ≥30 cm girth were measured for girth and height. Aboveground biomass (AGB) was estimated from volume and species-specific wood density, while belowground biomass (BGB) was derived as 27% of AGB. Results revealed significant differences between forest types. Semi-evergreen forests exhibited higher basal area (35.39 m² ha⁻¹) compared to moist deciduous forests (24.24 m² ha⁻¹). Tree volume reached 629.85 m³ ha⁻¹ in semi-evergreen stands versus 260.26 m³ ha⁻¹ in moist deciduous forests. AGB was 337.53 Mg ha⁻¹ in semi-evergreen and 165.54 Mg ha⁻¹ in moist deciduous systems. Corresponding BGB values were 91.13 Mg ha⁻¹ and 44.69 Mg ha⁻¹, resulting in total biomass of 428.66 Mg ha⁻¹ and 210.23 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively. Carbon stock, calculated as 47% of total biomass, was nearly double in semi-evergreen forests (201.47 Mg ha⁻¹) compared to moist deciduous forests (98.81 Mg ha⁻¹). These findings highlight the superior carbon sequestration potential of semi-evergreen forests and underscore their importance for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.