An Estimation of Carbon Content in a Urban Pocket: a Case Study of Saibaba Colony, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu Dr

Research Article Volume 9 Issue No. 6 An Estimation of Carbon Content in a Urban Pocket: A Case Study of Saibaba Colony, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu Dr. N. Muthusamy1, W. S. Jisha2, N. Nagendran3, Ajay Sudharsan. L4 Assistant Professor (Urban Planning/Envi.Engg.)1, M.Sc., Applied Geography2, Former Intern-Geographer3, Intern-Planner4 Tamilnadu Institute of Urban Studies, India1, 3, 4 University of Madras, India2

Abstract: Urban development which leads to an urban heat. The air in an urban heat island can be as much as 20*F(11*c) higher than the rural areas surrounding the city buffer. The presence of trees which plays the vital role to reduce the temperature by capturing the carbon. The global carbon is held in a variety of different stocks. Natural stocks include oceans, fossil fuel deposits, the terrestrial system and the atmosphere.[1] About 2/3rd of the carbon is stored in the forest, plants and trees and the debris of the forest soil. A stock that is taking up carbon is called ‘sink’. The shift or flow of carbon from one stock to other is called carbon fluxes.Thus estimating the above ground trees biomass carbon is the step to quantifying carbon stocks and fluxes , which is focus on this paper. The estimation shows that the annual CO2 removals by the Indian’s forest and tree cover is enough to neutralise 11.25% of India’s total GHG emissions(CO2 equivalent ) at 1994 level, the most recent year for which comparable data is available for the developing countries based on their respective National Communications (NATCOMs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCC).

Keywords: Carbon content, Vegetation cover, Wood volume, Heat emission, Sustainability.

I. INTRODUCTION balance of sink in northern latitude and source in the tropics to be about 9.5GtCO2. Terrestrial carbon dynamics are Urban climate which is a consequence of urbanization. characterized by long periods of small rates of carbon uptake Urbanization has a dynamic relation with the physical per hectare, intertupted by short periods of rapid and large environment which changes the normal climatic pattern. release of carbon during the disturbances and harvest. While Climate change arising due to the increase in concentration of individual stands in a forest may be sources or sinks, the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The rising concentrations carbon balance of the forest is determined by the sum of the of greenhouse gases (GHGs) of anthropogenic origin in the net balance of all stands. atmosphere such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) have increased, since the late 19th Climatic change 2007: mitigation of climatic change century. These changes can be distinguished from the (Working group III contribution to the 4th assessment of differences of air temperature, humidity, wind speed and the IPCC) direction and amount of precipitation. As limiting it into the The atmospheric concentration of carbon has increased from local area, the phenomena of carbon capture for reducing the 280-380ppmv (38% of change) since pre-industrial time due heat emission in the atmosphere can be substantially achieved. to carbon di oxide emission from anthropogenic fossil fuel The parts of local area supports the equilibrium in nature and burning and deforestation. The emission rate of carbon from it tends to planatation for the future. The estimation of carbon the fossil fuel (oil, coal, gas) consumption is currently about content or settlement helps in tracing the fluxes of carbon 8Gtc y-1(1015 g of carbon per year) while the deforestation componenets and mobility in atmosphere. Periodically this rate for the 1990’s is estimated to be 1.6(0.5-2.7). The assessment helps in appraising the value of trees in human cumulative fossil fuel emission since 1800 is 330 Gtc, but only lives in this latest century. It will be a good study for half of that remains in the atmosphere and the remains are environmental impacts to make it more sustainable. Saibaba absorbed by carbon sinks in the ocean and on land. To keep Colony is located in the west zone of Coimbatore Municipal the atmosphere concentration of carbon di oxide below 450- Corporation area. This study area is comprised of 2.33 Sq.Km 600 ppmv possess a challenge to human. The major strategy or 233 Hectare. The main characteristics of this local area is taken to control is: - (i) to reduce carbon emission (ii) to Residential, Commercial and Institutional. Hence the analysis capture CO2 and store it i.e.; sequestration. For quantifying will be measured in terms of these characteristcs. the carbon sequestration the potential ways include:- (i) sustainable sink of tree removal (ii) one time potential from II. LITERATURE REVIEW estimating coarse woody debris (iii) enhancing the sustainable rate via selective cutting of live tree. The study which also The global forest cover is 3952 million ie; about 30% of the quantifies some measures implement for the wood burial. world’s land area. During the last decades of the 20th century, Carbon sequestration via wood burial (CBM Journal) deforestation in the tropics and forest regrowth in the temperate zone and parts of the boreal zone remained the III. OBJECTIVES major factors responsible for CO2 emissions. Emissions from deforestation in the 1990’s are estimated at 5.8 GtCO2/yr. The  To identify the trees on the basis of interpretation keys

International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, June 2019 22806 http://ijesc.org/  To classify the trees by using Remote sensing and GIS  To estimate the wood volume  To calculate the dry biomass and find the carbon content  To calculate the area of the vegetation cover V. INTERPRETATION KEY IV. METHODOLOGY

VI. VISUAL SURVEY

Figure.1. Honge Tree Figure.2. Peacock Tree Figure.3. Coconut Tree

Figure.4. Neem Tree Figure.5. Rusty Shield Barrier Figure.6. Rain Tree

VII. STUDY AREA & ANALYSIS SAIBABA COLONY ±

0.250.125 0 0.25 Kilometers

Source:Aerial Imagery, Google Earth

International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, June 2019 22807 http://ijesc.org/ AVENUE PLANTATION ±

LEGEND Ashoka tree Coconut tree Honge Neem Others Peacock tree Rain tree

Rusty sheild bearer 0.250.125 0 0.25 Kilometers