Carbon sequestration potential of Casuarina equisetifolia plantations at harvest age in tropical region of India

Studying the carbon stock of tree plantations is essential for mitigating climate change, as trees act as carbon dioxide sinks by fixing carbon during photosynthesis and storing excess carbon as biomass. With a significant emphasis on the role of carbon in global warming, Afforestation/Reforestation (A/R) activities have the potential to provide a “sink” for carbon from our atmosphere and act as a reservoir. In current study, the sequestered carbon dioxide from atmosphere by Casuarina plantations was calculated and converted into carbon by a particular plantation using the globally accepted formula developed by the IPCC. Simultaneously, the soil organic carbon of the particular Casuarina plantations was also estimated. Finally, the carbon stock of Casuarina equisetifolia plantations were estimated under different management practices. The various management practices like pruning, irrigation and fertilizer application also improves the carbon sink potential of the tree plantations. The mean carbon concentration ranged from 41% (leaf litter) to 46% (wood) in the different components of Casuarina equisetifolia. The plantations recorded a carbon accumulation of 9.12 Mt C ha?¹ year?¹ in biomass components alone at the harvest age of 3 years in the tropical region of Tamil Nadu, India. Proper management practices in tropical regions worldwide have the potential to further enhance carbon stocks in plantations. This data will be ready reckoner for future Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects for controlling global warming.