Effects of Forest Management Approach on Carbon Stock and Plant Diversity: A Case Study from Karnali Province, Nepal

Puspa Lamsal, Kamal Raj Aryal (), Hari Adhikari (), Gayatri Paudel, Surya Kumar Maharjan, Dinesh Jung Khatri and Ram P. Sharma
Additional contact information
Puspa Lamsal: Institute of Forestry, Hetauda Campus, Tribhuvan University, Hetauda 44107, Bagmati Province, Nepal
Kamal Raj Aryal: Forest Research and Training Center, Surkhet 21700, Karnali Province, Nepal
Hari Adhikari: Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Gayatri Paudel: Institute of Forestry, Hetauda Campus, Tribhuvan University, Hetauda 44107, Bagmati Province, Nepal
Surya Kumar Maharjan: Institute of Forestry, Hetauda Campus, Tribhuvan University, Hetauda 44107, Bagmati Province, Nepal
Dinesh Jung Khatri: Division Forest Office, Jumla 21200, Karnali Province, Nepal
Ram P. Sharma: Forest Research and Training Center, Surkhet 21700, Karnali Province, Nepal

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: The mitigation of global warming and conservation of biodiversity are two significant environmental challenges today. Estimating and comparing forest carbon stock and plant diversity under different management approaches provide insight into the choice of management approaches for carbon and plant diversity management. We investigated the variation in carbon stock and diversity of plant species in two forest managements under different approaches: the Kakrebihar protection forest (PF) and Sano Surkhet community forest (CF) in Karnali Province, Surkhet, Nepal. In total, 63 sample plots (30 plots in PF and 33 plots in CF) were laid out systematically across the forests. Dendrometric measurements were carried out for trees, poles, and saplings, and representative leaf litter and herb samples were collected. Soil samples were taken at 10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm depths using a soil auger. The existing tree volume equations of tree species of interest were used to estimate tree volume, and species-specific wood density and conversion factors were used to obtain total biomass and carbon content. Soil samples were analyzed using the Walkley-Black method to determine soil organic carbon. PF had higher carbon stock, plant species richness, and abundance at the landscape level than CF; however, the scenario differed at the plot level. At the plot level, PF had significantly higher total carbon stock and biomass carbon stock than CF. However, PF and CF were statistically indistinguishable in term of soil carbon stock. At the plot level, PF and CF were statistically indistinguishable regarding richness, Simpson diversity, and Shannon diversity, but PF had significantly higher plant abundance than CF. In conclusion, the value of PF for carbon stock and plant diversity surpassed those of CF. This study suggests that PF might be a better strategy to enhance carbon stock in forests and maintain habitat for various plant species.

Keywords: carbon stock; community forest; plant diversity; forest biomass (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:6:p:1233-:d:1171752

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