Thai J. For. 35 (3) : 86-99 (2016) ªµ¦­µ¦ª«µ­¦Í 31 (1) : 1-8 (2556) Original article Carbon and Nutrient Storage in Plant Biomass of Natural Forest nearby Thung Luang Royal Project Development Center, Chiang Mai Province Taparat Seeloy-ounkaew1* Soontorn Khamyong2 1TEAM Consulting Engineering and Management Co., Ltd., Bueng Kum, Bangkok 10230, Thailand 2Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand *Corresponding Author, E-mail: [email protected] Received: Aug 3, 2015 Accepted: Sep 17, 2016 ABSTRACT Amounts of carbon and nutrient storage in plant biomass of natural forests were assessed near the Thung Luang Royal Project Development Center, Chiang Mai province. Fifty sample SORWV [P ZHUHUDQGRPO\VHOHFWHGDORQJDODWLWXGLQDOJUDGLHQWXVLQJVWUDWL¿HGVDPSOLQJ Stem girth over bark at 1.3 m above ground and the height of all tree species taller than 1.5 m were measured in all plots. The amounts of carbon and nutrient biomass were calculated. In WRWDOVSHFLHV JHQHUDDQGIDPLOLHV ZHUHLGHQWL¿HGPinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon, Castanopsis acuminatissima (Blume) A.DC., Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth, and Quercus brandisiana Kurz were the dominant tree species. The mean plant species diversity value using the Shannon-Wiener equation (SWI) was 4.01+0.86. The mean biomass was 237.27+89.10 Mg ha-1, separated into stem, branch, leaf, and root organs with values of 153.97+58.57 Mg ha-1 (64.89% of all biomass), 48.16+20.05 Mg ha-1 (20.30%), 3.92+1.03 Mg ha-1 (1.65%), and 31.21+9.90 Mg ha-1 (13.15%), respectively, and the carbon biomass was 117.22+44.04 Mg ha-1. The stored amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were estimated to be 1,299.04+481.57, 182.68+69.90, 889.72+332.37, 1,888.93+703.32, and 424.56+157.08 kg ha-1, respectively. This natural forest allows local communities to take advantage of the forest directly and indirectly even though the forest area has been degraded. Future protection of the forest is necessary in order not to worsen the storage ability, and reforestation should be undertaken. Keywords: Plant biomass, carbon storage, nutrient, Thung Luang Royal Project Development Center Thai J. For. 35 (3) : 86-99 (2016) 87 INTRODUCTION human communities. In the forest ecosystem, carbon begins the cycle when assimilated The Thung Luang Royal Project carbon dioxide formed through photosynthesis Development Center was established in 1979 is converted into reduced sugar. About half of in the area surrounding Huay Thong village, the gross primary production (GPP) is used Mae Win sub-district, Mae Wang district, by plants in respiration for the synthesis and Chiang Mai province. The Center aims to maintenance of living cells, after which carbon improve the quality of hill-tribe life, according dioxide is released back into the atmosphere to the initiative of His Majesty King Bhumibol (Landsberg and Gower, 1997; Waring and Adulyadej, embarking on the development Runing, 1998). The remaining primary products and promotion of plants such as fruit trees, go into net primary production (NPP), or ÀRZHUVDQGYHJHWDEOHVDQGODWHUH[SDQGHGLWV plant biomass, including stem, branch, root, operations into animal husbandry. It operates and reproductive organs. The above-ground for both economic development and promotion and below-ground litter fall is the substrate of to society and culture as well as promoting the decomposers which, through their heterotrophic conservation of natural resources concurrently. metabolism, release carbon dioxide back into The Thung Luang Royal Project has a station the atmosphere. Grazing by herbivores and area of 233.68 ha, and is responsible for work carnivores allows carbon cycling to take place covering 12 villages consisting of 4,477 people in secondary production, and the loss of carbon in 952 households. The altitude range is between dioxide into the atmosphere occurs through 960 and 1200 m above mean sea level (m.s.l). heterotrophic respiration. The amount of carbon The parent rock in the area is granite. The stored varies with the forest type, subtype, DUHDLVPRVWO\ÀDWSODLQVLQWKHYDOOH\VRIWKH and the different forest conditions caused by mountains. Vegetables are grown in the valleys human disturbance. Many activities affect and the hillsides are ideal for growing fruit ecosystem carbon storage; for example, tree trees and crops. The mean temperature is 22 FXWWLQJIRUHVW¿UHDQGKDUYHVWLQJQRQZRRG o C and the average rainfall is 1,400 mm/yr. products (Phonchaluen, 2009; Naimphulthong, Agricultural extension in this area 2011; Wongin, 2011; Nongnuang, 2012; might be seen to encourage clearing the forests Wattanasuksakul, 2012). Increasing the amount to provide more agricultural land. The most of carbon sequestered is directly related to LPSRUWDQWLQGLUHFWEHQH¿WRISUHVHUYLQJIRUHVWV the increase in forest biomass (Creedy and is carbon storage, which can reduce the amount Wurzbacher, 2001). Carbon accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Carbon can be very effective in the young stage and cycling affects global warming through increased will be reduced in the older stage of growth carbon dioxide released from ecosystems (Ciesla, 1995). caused by many factors including fuel burning, The aims of this study were to assess industries, forest clearing and burning, and plant biomass and nutrient accumulations in EXUQLQJRIPDWWHULQDJULFXOWXUDO¿HOGVDQG natural forest near the Thung Luang Royal 88 Thai J. For. 35 (3) : 86-99 (2016) Project Development Center. The data will deciduous-dry evergreen forest in the Chai Ya be important for the assessment of carbon Phum province are as follows: and nutrients stocks in forests and to compare 2 0.919 2 WS = 0.0509 (D H) R = 0.978 the storage potential in other Royal Projects. 2 0.977 2 WB = 0.00893 (D H) R = 0.890 Moreover, the information can assist in W = 0.0140 (D2H) 0.669 R2 = 0.714 encouraging ongoing protection and preservation L W = 0.0313 (D2H) 0.805 R2 = 0.981 of the forest so it remains sustainable. R where WS = biomass of stem (kg) W = biomass of branch (kg) MATERIALS AND METHODS B WL = biomass of leaf (kg) 1. Plant Species Diversity W = biomass of root (kg) The survey of the forest plants in natural R D = stem diameter over bark at forest near the Thung Luang Royal Project 1.30 m above ground (cm) Development Center, Chiang Mai province H = tree height (m) was carried out during August 2013-January 2014 using the method of plant community 2.2 Carbon and Nutrient Accumulations DQDO\VLV8VLQJVWUDWL¿HGUDQGRPVDPSOLQJ The carbon contents in the various 50 sample plots, each 0.16 ha (40x40 m) were organs of the tree species followed the data established on the summit, shoulder, and foot given by Tsutsumi et al. (1983). The mean slopes with an altitudinal range of 900-1200 carbon contents in the stem, branch, leaf, m m.s.l. Each plot was divided into 16 (10x10 and root components were reported as 49.90, m) subplots. The data collection included 48.70, 48.30, and 48.20%, respectively. measuring the stem girth over bark at breast The nutrient contents in the various height (1.3 m above ground) and the tree height organs of the tree species followed the data of of all tree species taller than 1.5 m. Ecological Tsutsumi et al. (1983). The mean contents in parameters including plant frequency, density, the stem, branch, leaf, and root components dominance, important value index (IVI), and were: 0.53, 0.53, 1.59, and 0.53% for nitrogen; species diversity index using the Shannon- 0.08, 0.10, 0.13, and 0.02% for phosphorus; Wiener equation (SWI) were calculated in 0.37, 0.40, 1.10, and 0.27% for potassium; accordance with the analysis of Krebs (1985). 0.76, 0.80, 1.50, and 0.88% for calcium; and All the plots were located using a GPS. 0.17, 0.20, 0.90, and 0.10% for magnesium, respectively. 2. Estimation of Biomass, Carbon and Nutrients RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 2.1 Plant Biomass 1. Species Composition and Richness The amount of plant biomass in the The forest types were pine montane forests was calculated using the allometric and montane forests. Based on the 50 sample equations of Tsutsumi et al. (1983); the biomass plots, 210 species (36+16 species per plot) of equations from the mixed forests of the mixed 141 genera and 66 families were found. The Thai J. For. 35 (3) : 86-99 (2016) 89 dominant trees in this forest were: Pinus kesiya 44 families). The SWI value was high (5.28). Royle ex Gordon, Castanopsis acuminatissima The species richness was lower, but the SWI (Blume) A.DC., Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth, was higher than in the current study area. and Quercus brandisiana Kurz. The most Khamyong (2009) studied the forests in the abundant species was Gluta usitata (Wall) Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai province, Ding Hou (226.61 trees ha-1), followed by consisting of dry dipterocarp (DDF), mixed Quercus helferiana A.DC. (198.08 trees ha-1), deciduous (MDF), dry evergreen (DEF), pine Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon (178.75 trees (PF), and montane (MF) forests. Plant species ha-1), Heliciopsis terminalis (Kurz) Sleumer richness in the DDF, MDF, PF, and MF was 101 (176.56 trees ha-1), Castanopsis acuminatissima species (72 genera, 44 families), 103 species (Blume) A.DC. (162.02 trees ha-1), Tristaniopsis (75 genera, 38 families), 151 species (118 burmanica (Griff) Peter G. Wilson & J.T. genera, 57 families), 120 species (88 genera, Waterh. (142.26 trees ha-1), and Engelhardtia 44 families), and 188 species (124 genera, spicata Blume var. colebrookeana (Lindl. ex. 57 families), respectively. The SWI values of these forests were: 4.45, 5.08, 6.13, 5.13, Wall.) Kuntze (135.71 trees ha-1), respectively.