Spatial Assessment of Para Rubber ( Hevea brasiliensis ) above Ground Biomass Potentials in Songkhla Province, Southern Thailand

John Nyandansobi Simon, Narissara Nuthammachot, Teerawet Titseesang, Kingsley Ezechukwu Okpara and Kuaanan Techato
Additional contact information
John Nyandansobi Simon: Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Narissara Nuthammachot: Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Teerawet Titseesang: Faculty of Business Administration, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand
Kingsley Ezechukwu Okpara: Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Kuaanan Techato: Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-18

Abstract: Currently, Songkhla Province of Thailand has been recognized as a convenient hub of rubber industry development, accompanied by an attendant abundance of rubber tree plantations. A spatialized assessment of the rubber tree was carried out to estimate its aboveground biomass potentials using remote sensing techniques and ecosystem modeling procedures. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite-based estimations of the net primary productivity were derived and complemented with a calculated generic model, to quantify the respective above ground biomass potentials para rubber. Above ground biomass assessment findings revealed a mean value of 82.1 tonnes C ha ?1 and an aggregate of 31. 9 million tonnes C ha ?1 which is the theoretical potential, this is segregated into energy usable, and other economic purpose biomass potentials, with corresponding value ranges of 1624.1 to 6,041,531.2 million tonnes C ha ?1 and 85.5 to 317,975.6 thousand tonnes C ha ?1 respectively. Besides the theoretical above ground biomass potential (entire biomass accumulation ratio) commonly evaluated, the other potentials, which include naturally obtainable biomass usable for energy generation and the remaining share of the feedstock for non-energy uses, have been brought to light. Songkhla province has the potential for good carbon sink and sustainable supply of different pools of feedstock from the rubber tree that reinforces each other in providing a comprehensive view of biomass in energy and non-energy opportunities. The socioeconomic production and value chain analysis of the identified biomass pools needs to be evaluated; this will consequently guide policy toward a comprehensive rubber sector sustainable development.

Keywords: MODIS-NPP; rubber tree; biomass potentials; Songkhla; rubber land use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/16/9344/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/16/9344/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:16:p:9344-:d:618057

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().