Biomass and carbon stock production using multipurpose trees for rehabilitation and resource conservation in deep Chambal ravines of Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Ravine lands are typical kind of degraded lands associated with several constraints for vegetation growth due to terrain deformation, poor soil fertility, low soil moisture, extreme variation in temperature, and heavy biotic pressure. An experiment site planted with different multipurpose trees and their impacts on biomass productivity, carbon stock, soil properties, runoff and soil loss were measured and analysed on regular basis for upto ten years. Based on overall growth on survival, biomass yield and C-stock production showed preferred ranking of tree species in the following order viz., Acacia nilotica > Azadirachta indica > Prosopis juliflora > Leucaena leucocephala > Dalbergia sissoo > Balanitesa aegyptiaca > Acacia catechu. Among all tree species, A. nilotica produced highest above ground biomass, root biomass (44.8 kg plant-1) and above ground C-stock (9.2 kg plant-1). The litter and pruned biomass C-stock was higher in L. leucocephala (1.4 kg plant-1). The second best above ground and below ground carbon stock were recorded as 40.2 kg plant-1 and 1.2 kg plant-1, respectively in A. indica, while P. juliflora had highest root biomass and root carbon stock (8.7 kg plant-1) compared to all other species. Tree stand growth significantly improved the soil physico-chemical properties. Every drop of rainwater was harvested in treated ravine area using water harvesting structures like earthen embankments, earthen bunds, gully plugging and its utilization likely increased soil moisture retention capacity and facilitated tree growth compared to untreated ravines. A. nilotica tree stands recorded highest biomass and carbon stock production followed by A. indica. Thus, A. nilotica and A. indica species are most suitable multipurpose hardy tree species for rehabilitation of medium and deep ravines of Chambal ravines in India.