Accumulated carbon in the aerial biomass of Terminalia ivorensis A. Chev (terminalia) y Gmelina arborea Roxb (melina) plantation, in the Ecuadorian Coast

Abstract

This research was carried out with the objective of quantifying the carbon (C) stored in the air biomass of Gmelina arborea (melina) and Terminalia ivorensis (terminalia) plantations, of nine years of age, in three localities of the ecuadorian Coast, by the use of allometric equations. In each locality four sampling areas, at random, were located for each species, and in each sampling area four parcels of 500 m² was settled down, in which the DBH (diameter at breast height = 1.30 m on the floor) and the total height (h) was registered. To estimate the air biomass the allometric equation Bt = 5.025173 + 0.021553*DAP²h) was used, and to estimate the carbon it was multiplied the air biomass (Bt) for 0.5, according to the IPCC guide. The potential of the fixation of carbon was determined by the half annual increment (IMA) of the volume. There were significant differences, among the species and among the locality, for the biomass, stored and fixed carbon, in the air part of the plantations. The average of the aerial biomass stored, and fixed carbon was bigger for the species G. arborea; the locality with more average of biomass, stored and fixed carbon was Santo Domingo, and the town with smaller average was Balzar.