Tree species diversity and aboveground carbon stocks in Ban Nong Nae community forest: implications for ecosystem rehabilitation

Information from the abstract

This study investigated tree species diversity, forest structure, and aboveground carbon stocks in the Ban Nong ÍNae Community Forest, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. The objective was to quantify ecological attributes and examine the relationships between species diversity, forest structure, and carbon storage within a community forest ecosystem. Field data were collected from a 0.4 ha (4,000 m²) permanent plot by recording tree species composition and structural measurements. Aboveground biomass was estimated using the allometric equations developed by Ogawa et al. (1965) combined with standard carbon fraction values. A total of 27 tree species belonging to 19 families and 258 individuals were recorded, corresponding to a stand density of 645 individuals ha⁻¹. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) was 2.59, and the evenness index (E) was 0.795, indicating moderate species diversity with a relatively even distribution of individuals among species. Total aboveground biomass was estimated at 48,384.24 kg, resulting in a carbon stock of 23,353.87 kg C (58.38 Mg C ha⁻¹). Carbon stocks were unevenly distributed, with 77.8% concentrated in six dominant species, notably Pterocarpus macrocarpus. This pattern indicates that carbon storage was strongly influenced by stand structural composition and species dominance, particularly the contribution of a small number of canopy-forming species. Overall, the findings suggest that aboveground carbon storage is closely associated with forest structural characteristics and dominant species composition. These findings provide baseline data for ecological assessment and carbon accounting in community forest ecosystems and highlight the importance of species diversity and forest structural in supporting ecosystem rehabilitation. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT HIGHLIGHTS Ban Nong Nae Community Forest exhibits moderate-to-high tree diversity (H' = 2.590) and high evenness (E = 0.795), indicating a stable and resilient ecosystem structure. Aboveground carbon stocks are primarily driven by six key framework species, which account for 77.8% of the total carbon despite high overall species richness. Aboveground carbon stocks are primarily driven by six key framework species, which account for 8% of the total carbon despite high overall species richness.

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Related topics: Forest ecology and management · Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies · Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies