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Temporal variations in carbon stock of Pinus roxburghii Sargent forests of Himachal Pradesh, India

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Abstract

The present study was conducted in Solan Forest Division of Himachal Pradesh covering an area of about 57,158 ha. The aim was to estimate and assess the temporal change in carbon stock of the Chil Working Circle, in two forest ranges of the Division, Solan and Dharampur, over the period of 1956–2011. The inventory data of the working plans of Solan Forest Division from 1956–1957, 1984–1985 and 2002–2003 were used in the present study while field data for biomass estimation was collected for the year 2011. The results showed a declining trend in carbon stock over 1956–1984 period, however, an increasing trend over 1984–2002 was observed, which showed a further increase for the period 2002–2011. These fluctuating trends in the forest carbon stock can be related to increasing anthropogenic pressure on forests and the subsequent introduction of a ban on green felling envisaging efficient forest management, both of which affect the forest carbon pool significantly.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Silviculture & Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, India

    Shipra Shah, Dharam Prakash Sharma & Priyanka Tripathi

  2. Departments of Forestry, Faculty of Horticulture, UBKV, Pundibari Cooch Behar, 736165, India

    Nazir A. Pala

  3. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar-Garhwal, Uttarakhand, 249161, India

    Munesh Kumar

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  1. Shipra Shah
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  2. Dharam Prakash Sharma
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  3. Nazir A. Pala
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  4. Priyanka Tripathi
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  5. Munesh Kumar
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Correspondence to Nazir A. Pala.

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Shah, S., Sharma, D.P., Pala, N.A. et al. Temporal variations in carbon stock of Pinus roxburghii Sargent forests of Himachal Pradesh, India. J. Mt. Sci. 11, 959–966 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-013-2725-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-013-2725-2

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