Biomass and carbon stock, carbon sequestration potential under selected land use systems in punjab

Carbon dioxide increase is attributed mainly combustion of fossil fuel and deforestation worldwide.1,2 The current atmospheric carbon concentration is 397.60 ppm.3 The CO2 concentration and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere have increased considerably and are set to rise further. Two major environmental issues of the world today’s are climate change and biodiversity. Increase in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses (GHG), of which the most common is carbon dioxide (CO2), is considered to be the primary cause of global warming. Deforestation, agriculture and other land-use changes practices have been the second largest contributors of greenhouses gases.4 Global climate is changing drastically as a result of natural as well as anthropogenic activities. Development as well as transportation activities increasing the concentration of gases especially carbon dioxide.5 Undoubtedly, climate change is the main global issues which getting higher attention from the scientific communities in recent years. Furthermore, carbon dioxide would be doubled in the coming years i.e., 2050 if the current rate of increase continues and this will lead to the world wide temperature rise of up to 2-4°C.6 The global sea level will rise by 28-98 cm due to melting of polar ice, which would badly alter low-lying coastal countries (e.g. Bangladesh, Maldives, The Netherlands) existence and livelihoods pattern, a projection by6 revealed that by the end of 21st century. Tree planting enhance soil productivity through physico chemical and ecological changes depending upon pumping of nutrients from lower horizon of soil to upper layer, the quality and quantity of litter reaching the top most layer of soil, litter decomposition rate and nutrient release pattern. In addition, planting of trees in agricultural field is a useful way to lock up the carbon in different components of tree and enhance the soil carbon status.7−9 The short rotation tree species play a major role in carbon sequestration in the soil reservoir.10 The agroforestry studies not only accumulated sixty per cent more carbon but a major portion of carbon is locked over a longer period than the mono cropping systems.11−17 Litter fall also adds to the soil organic matter (SOM) and there by enhances soil carbon sequestration,18 A greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategy not found in conventional agricultural systems.