PLANT DIVERSITY AND CARBON STOCK OF TWO COMMUNITY MANAGED FORESTS, KAILALI, WESTERN NEPAL
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Amrit Campus
Abstract
Vegetation study is crucial for the biophysical environment and ecosystem balance.
Carbon stock and biodiversity have an intricate relationship. Community forests were
functioning to upscale the carbon sequestration as well as the biodiversity. This study
is intended to assess the plant diversity and carbon stock of two different types of
community forests, Kailali, Western Nepal. Teghari community forest was riverine
forest and Durgalaxmi community forest was Sal forest. To assess IVI, species
diversity, regeneration and carbon stock altogether 40 sample plots (20 plots in each
forest) of 20m radii were studied for trees applying stratified random sampling. Within
the 20m radii plots, 3 subplots of 5m radii for shrubs and 3 subplots of 1m radii for
herbs were laid. Tree biomass was estimated and regeneration was estimated by
calculating the density of each species in seedling, sapling and tree phases. Soil samples
were collected from the surface up to 20cm depth. Carbon stock of DCF was found
higher 148.75 t/ ha in DCF than 39.30 t/ ha in TCF. The diversity of herbs and shrubs
was higher in riverine forest (Teghari community forest) than Sal forest (Durgalaxmi
community forest) due to the presence of more open canopy which facilitates
understory vegetation like Murraya koenigii and Lantana camara were most common
shrub species. Similarly, total species diversity was found higher in riverine Teghari
community forest. The index of similarity between two different forests was found to
be quite low. The mean value of basal area, DBH, carbon stock was higher in
Durgalaxmi community forest compared to Teghari community forest. These results
revealed that the ground vegetation and regeneration was high in less dense canopy
forest and Sal forest had higher carbon stock than riverine forest.