Biomass and carbon sequestration potential of plantation trees in foothills of Jakanari Forest at Western Tamil Nadu, India

Tree planting has a greater capacity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, aiding both emerging and wealthy nations in reducing and mitigating the effects of global warming. In this view, to evaluate carbon sequestration potential of plantation trees, the present study was carried out at Forest College and Research Institute (FC&RI), Mettupalayam, in the surroundings of the Jakanari Reserve Forest, northern part of Coimbatore, western Tamil Nadu with 7 trees species, viz., Dalbergia latifolia , Albizia lebbeck , Dalbergia sissoo , Gmelina arborea , Swietenia macrophylla , Tectona grandis , and Terminalia bellirica . The study was taken up during 2022 with the following factors, namely, biomass of trees, biomass carbon, ecophysiological attributes, and carbon isotope discrimination potential of trees. The study revealed that D. sissoo and T. grandis have the highest potential of storing biomass and biomass carbon and performed well under the eco-physiological settings by showing good biometric growth under water scarce conditions as determined by carbon isotope analysis. On contrary, D. latifolia and S. macrophylla are not able to cope with the prevailing dry condition; hence, these species can be used under moist land conditions rather in dry areas. On confirmation, D. sissoo and T. grandis are the best suitable tree species recommended for maximum carbon sequestration potential as farm plantations.