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Assessment of Above-Ground Biomass in Pakistan Forest Ecosystem’S Carbon Pool: a Review

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Assessment of Above-Ground Biomass in Pakistan Forest Ecosystem’S Carbon Pool: a Review Review Assessment of Above-Ground Biomass in Pakistan Forest Ecosystem’s Carbon Pool: A Review Ishfaq Ahmad Khan 1, Waseem Razzaq Khan 2 , Anwar Ali 3 and Mohd Nazre 1,* 1 Department of Forest Science & Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, University Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia; [email protected] 2 Institut Ekosains Borneo, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Kampus, Sarawak 97008, Malaysia; [email protected] 3 Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar, Peshawar 25130, Pakistan; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +603-89467192 Abstract: Climate change is acknowledged as a global threat to the environment and human well- being. Forest ecosystems are a significant factor in this regard as they act both as a sink and a source of carbon. Forest carbon evaluation has received more attention after the Paris Agreement. Pakistan has 5.1% forest cover of its total land area, which comprises nine forest types. This study covers the studies conducted on above-ground biomass and carbon stock in various forest types of Pakistan. Most of the studies on biomass and carbon stock estimation have been conducted during 2015–2020. The non-destructive method is mostly followed for carbon stock estimation, followed by remote sensing. The destructive method is used only for developing allometric equations and biomass expansion factors. The information available on the carbon stock and biomass of Pakistan forest types is fragmented and sporadic. Coniferous forests are more important in carbon sequestration and can play a vital role in mitigating climate change. Pakistan is a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol and still lacks regional and national level studies on biomass and carbon stock, which are necessary for reporting under the Kyoto Protocol. This study will help researchers and decision-makers to develop policies regarding Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), Citation: Khan, I.A.; Khan, W.R.; Ali, conservation, sustainable forest management and enhancement of forest carbon stocks A.; Nazre, M. Assessment of Above-Ground Biomass in Pakistan Keywords: forest ecosystem; above-ground biomass; carbon stock; REDD+; allometric equations; Forest Ecosystem’s Carbon Pool: A agroforestry; climate change; Pakistan Review. Forests 2021, 12, 586. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12050586 Received: 20 March 2021 1. Introduction Accepted: 15 April 2021 Published: 8 May 2021 The forest ecosystem is considered one of the most significant ecosystems in combating climate change. Climate change is acknowledged as a global threat to the environment and Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral human well-being. Natural systems such as glaciers, coral reefs, boreal and tropical forests, with regard to jurisdictional claims in and polar and alpine ecosystems are susceptible to climate change [1]. Forests are valued published maps and institutional affil- as a useful tool against global warming. They regulate the carbon cycle by sequestering iations. carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via photosynthesis and store it in their biomass and soil organic matter. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate the source and sink of carbon at local, sub-national and national levels to assess the prospective role of different carbon pools in decreasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and preventing global warming. Hence, it Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. is essential to obtain reliable data on forest carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Article 2.1 of the Kyoto Protocol addressed global warming issues and urged the signatory This article is an open access article nations to protect existing forests and enhance the carbon sequestration potential through distributed under the terms and afforestation, reforestation and sustainable forest management [2,3]. conditions of the Creative Commons Forests store more carbon than the carbon present in the atmosphere [4], likely the Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// amount of one trillion tons—double the atmospheric carbon [5]. Therefore, protecting creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ these forests is essential to combat climate change and protect biodiversity. In the case of 4.0/). Forests 2021, 12, 586. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12050586 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests Forests 2021, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 19 Forests store more carbon than the carbon present in the atmosphere [4], likely the amount of one trillion tons—double the atmospheric carbon [5]. Therefore, protecting these forests is essential to combat climate change and protect biodiversity. In the case of disturbances such as deforestation and land-use change from forest to agriculture, these forests become a source and emit carbon into the atmosphere. Forests consist of five carbon pools: above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, soil organic carbon, litter and deadwood. Most of the studies are conducted on above-ground biomass, followed by soil due to its carbon sequestration potential. Litter and deadwood are often ignored due to their low contribution to carbon sequestration. However, this can result in the underestimation of the study site’s carbon content. Pakistan has a low forest cover of 5.1%, which translates into an area of 4.51 m ha from a total land area of 87.98 m [6,7]. Pakistan forest cover map is shown in Figure 1. Pakistan has diverse ecological zones, divided into various forest types based on altitude Forests 2021, 12, 586 and species composition. These forests are mangrove forest, tropical thorn/scrub forest,2 of 18 tropical dry deciduous forest, sub-tropical broad-leaved evergreen forest, sub-tropical chirpine forest, moist temperate forest, dry temperate forest, sub-alpine forest and alpine scrub. Numerous studies on carbon stock estimation have been conducted in different disturbances such as deforestation and land-use change from forest to agriculture, these parts of Pakistan [5,8]. Different techniques are used for carbon stock estimation across forests become a source and emit carbon into the atmosphere. the globe: destructive, non-destructive and remote sensing. Non-destructive is the most Forests consist of five carbon pools: above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, common method used all over the world, while the destructive method is particularly soil organic carbon, litter and deadwood. Most of the studies are conducted on above- used for developing an allometric equation. Remote sensing techniques, on the other ground biomass, followed by soil due to its carbon sequestration potential. Litter and hand, require field data for validation. deadwood are often ignored due to their low contribution to carbon sequestration. How- Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is an initi- ever, this can result in the underestimation of the study site’s carbon content. ative to protect existing forests and enhance forest cover. Under the REDD+ framework, Pakistan has a low forest cover of 5.1%, which translates into an area of 4.51 m ha from developing countries are encouraged to enhance their forest cover in return for carbon a total land area of 87.98 m [6,7]. Pakistan forest cover map is shown in Figure1. Pakistan creditshas diverse to prevent ecological people zones, from divided cutting intotrees various and instead forest typesearn basedtheir livelihood on altitude from and speciespre- servingcomposition. the forests. These As forestsa benchmark are mangrove to eval forest,uate the tropical country’s thorn/scrub success in forest, implementing tropical dry REDD+deciduous activities, forest, the sub-tropical United Nations broad-leaved Framework evergreen Convention forest, on sub-tropical Climate Change chirpine (UN- forest, FCCC)moist needs temperate REDD+ forest, countries dry temperate to create forest, a baseli sub-alpinene of forest forest carbon and stocks alpine and scrub. emissions. Numerous Thus,studies an extensive on carbon forest stock estimationinventory haveis needed been conductedin each forest in different type of partsPakistan of Pakistan to report [5, 8]. REDD+Different related techniques activities. are To used create for carbona precise stock forest estimation inventory, across carbon the stock globe: estimation destructive, shouldnon-destructive be documented. and remote In short, sensing. REDD+ Non-destructive deals with carbon is the stock most estimation common in method terms usedof above-ground,all over the world,below-ground while the and destructive other carbon method pools. is particularly This paper’s used main for objective developing is toan highlightallometric above-ground equation. Remotebiomass, sensing carbon techniques, stock and onevaluation the other methods hand, require used in field Paki- data stan’sfor validation.forest ecosystem. FigureFigure 1. Forest 1. Forest cover cover in Pakistan in Pakistan (Buchhorn, (Buchhorn, M.; M.; Smets, Smets, B.; B.;Bertels, Bertels, L.; L.;De DeRoo, Roo, B.; B.;Lesiv, Lesiv, M.; M.; Tsend- Tsendbazar,bazar, N.-E.; N.-E.; Herold, Herold, M.; M.; Fritz, Frit S.z, Copernicus S. Copernicus Global Global Land Land Service: Service: Land Land Cover Cover 100 100 m: m: collection col- 3: lectionepoch 3: 2019:epoch Globe 2019: 2020).Globe 2020). Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is an initia- tive to protect existing forests and enhance forest cover. Under the REDD+ framework, developing countries are encouraged to enhance their forest cover in return for carbon credits to prevent people
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