Study of Tree Diversity and Biomass in Natural and Managed Site of Ridge Forest Ecosystem, Delhi Forest, India

Ekta; Ratul Baishya; Aftab Hasan

doi:10.36808/if/2022/v148i9/159802

Study of Tree Diversity and Biomass in Natural and Managed Site of Ridge Forest Ecosystem, Delhi Forest, India

Authors

Ekta Department of Botany, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Ratul Baishya University Department of Botany, Delhi University, Delhi
Aftab Hasan Department of Botany, Hindu Inter College, Moradabad, UP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2022/v148i9/159802

Keywords:

Biomass, Forest ecosystem, Density, Tree species, Carbon stock

Abstract

Tree diversity and biomass (above and below-ground) were studied in
natural and managed sites of Delhi Ridge Forest. The study was conducted in
the Northern Ridge (NR) and South-Central Ridge (SCR) of the forest
ecosystems. In the natural site of both the ridges, Prosopis juliflora (IVI= 105)
was the dominant species due to its invasive nature. Eucalyptus tereticornis
(IVI =41.7) and Pongamia pinnata (IVI= 63.5) was were dominant species in
the managed site of NR and SCR, respectively. Rare species in the natural
site was Wrightia tinctoria. In managed site, Thuja orientalis (IVI=4.08) and
Ficus bengalensis (IVI= 4.6) were rare. The maximum biomass was found in
aboveground biomass of the natural site of Delhi NR forest i.e. aboveground
biomass (AGB) ranged was from 44.59 Mg ha-1 to 89.99 Mg ha-1 while the
belowground biomass (BGB) was 17.29 ranged from 9.16 Mg ha-1 to 17.29 Mg
ha-1. The least AGB was in the managed site of SCR (44.59 Mg ha-1). The total biomass of the NR ranged between 70.35 to 107.28 Mg ha-1. In SCR, it ranged between 53.75 to 96.22 Mg ha-1 which was low as compared to NR due to high human disturbance and poor soil quality. AGB and tree density was found to be maximum in 10-30 cm diameter class in all the sites of Ridge Forest. Prosopis juliflora was the most important tree species in ridge ecosystem as it allocated approximately 50% of the total biomass. Trees of Delhi ridge forest falls under lower diameter classes due to disturbance regime.
Variations in species composition, density, diameter distributionpattern,
biomass and Carbon stock in the Northern and South-Central Ridge were
attributed to two different forest management practices adopted. Hence,
both the Ridge Forest had potential for carbon sequestration due to presence
of large number of trees belonging to small dbh classes.

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