Biomass, Carbon Stock and Co₂-Equivalent Storage in Roadside Plantations of Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

Roadside plantations constitute important linear green infrastructure in rapidly urbanising landscapes, but their contribution to biomass accumulation and carbon storage is often insufficiently quantified. This study estimated aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), total biomass, carbon stock and the corresponding CO₂ equivalent of roadside plantations in four zones of Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. Biomass was estimated through a non-destructive approach using diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height and wood density. BGB was estimated as 20% of AGB, while carbon stock was calculated using a biomass-to-carbon conversion factor of 0.47, and the CO₂ equivalent was calculated using a factor of 3.67. Across the study area, total biomass was 292.82 t ha⁻¹, including 244.04 t ha⁻¹ AGB and 48.81 t ha⁻¹ BGB. The West zone recorded the highest total biomass (161.33 t ha⁻¹) and carbon stock (75.83 t C ha⁻¹), whereas the South zone recorded the lowest values (25.10 t ha⁻¹ and 11.80 t C ha⁻¹, respectively). The aggregate carbon stock was 137.65 t C ha⁻¹, corresponding to 505.08 t CO₂-e ha⁻¹. Cassia siamea showed the highest species-wise total biomass (46.91 t ha⁻¹), while Acacia nilotica contributed the highest CO₂ equivalent in the zone-wise assessment (52.54 t CO₂-e ha⁻¹ in the West zone). The findings indicate substantial spatial and species-level variation in the carbon storage capacity of roadside plantations. Since the study used stock-conversion calculations rather than repeated temporal measurements, the reported CO₂ values should be interpreted as the CO₂ equivalent of stored carbon, not as an annual sequestration rate.