carbon sequestration in plantations internal report 2007

7/29/2019 Carbon Sequestration in Plantations Internal Report 2007

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Carbon sequestration in tree plantations to recover

abandoned and degraded pasture and agricultural lands in

the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica.

INTERNAL REPORT 2007

R.O. Russoa*, H.A. Leblanca, J.J. Jimnezb, and R. Lalb

a EARTH University, Gucimo, Limn, Costa Rica

b Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The

Ohio

State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH-43210, USA

Abstract:We evaluated the aboveground biomass and carbon sequestration of four

native tree species used to recover abandoned and degraded pasture and agricultural

lands in Gucimo, Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. The tree plantation wasestablished in December 1991 on a 2.6 ha. degraded pasture (Ischaemum sp.). Four

species were selected: Vochysia guatemalensis Smith, Calophyllum brasiliense

Cambess, Stryphnodendron excelsum Poeppig et Endl. and Hieronyma alchorneoides

Allemao. Average aboveground biomass carbon (ABC) ranged from 40.4 to 70.7Mg

C ha-1

. The highest ABC was measured in V. guatemalensis, and H. alchorneoides

i.e. 70.7 and 64.1 Mg Cha-1, respectively, followed by C. brasiliense and S. excelsum,

53.9 and 40.4 Mg Cha-1, respectively

.

Keywords: Carbon sequestration; Caribbean lowlands; Costa Rica; degraded pasturelands; native tree plantations; Calophyllum; Hieronyma; Stryphnodendron; Vochysia.

Introduction

Native tree plantations were proposed as a strategy to recover abandoned and

degraded pasture and agricultural lands of Costa Rica. Early studies in the Caribbean

lowlands were established at the Ministry of Agricultures Experiment Station (Los

Diamantes), in Gupiles in the 70s, and at the Organization of Tropical Studies

Biological Station (La Selva) in Sarapiqu in late 80s. Additional beneficial effects of

native tree plantations include the recovery of biodiversity within agricultural

landscapes, and other environmental services such restoration of soil fertility,

reduction in erosion and fire hazards, and economic returns (Brown et al., 1986;


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Butterfield, 1995; Montagnini and Porras, 1998; Montagnini, 2000; Piotto et al.,

2003).

More recently, tree plantations are seen as carbon sinks due to its potential to

sequester large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere in tree biomass (Lal, 2003;

2004; Schoeder, 1992) . Further, shade and nutrient availability in the topsoil through

litterfall promote the growth of understory vegetation in degraded pasturelands

(Cusack and Montagnini, 2004).

In this study the aboveground biomass carbon (ABC) sequestration potential of four

native tree species were examined, by quantifying C sequestered in total tree biomass

in a degraded pasture in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica.

Material and Methods

Study site

This study was conducted at EARTH University (10 10 N and 83 37 W; 64 m

a.s.l.) at the confluence of Parismina and Destierro rivers, in the Caribbean

lowlands Costa Rica. The climatic zone is classified as premontane, wet forest basal

belt transition (Bolaos and Watson, 1993). Annual rainfall averages 3,464 mm and

annual mean temperature is 25.1 C (iso-hyperthermy). Rainfall is evenly distributed

and exceeds 100 mm in all months. Soils are predominantly Andisols, and have

moderate to low fertility. Soil pH (H2O, 1:1) ranges from 3.7-4.8, and texture from

sandy clay and sandy clay loam in the surface to clay in the sub-soil layers.

Tree plantations

Native tree plantations were established in 1991 on a 2.6 ha degraded pasture

(Ischaemum timorense Kunth.) that had been grazed for 7 years. Tree plantations

were established according to a completely randomized block design: four blocks

with eight species each one. As this project was established as a collaborative effort

between the EARTH University and the Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS) with

the general objective to evaluate the performance of the different tree species, eight

native tree species that had been successful in an OTS trial were chosen. Trees were


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planted in a 3x3 m pattern in monoculture within each block, at a density of 1,111

trees ha-1

.

Four species were selected for this study: Vochysia guatemalensis Smith (Chancho

blanco), Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess (Cedro Mara), Stryphnodendron

excelsum Poeppig et Endl. (Vainillo), and Hieronyma alchorneoides Allemao

(Piln) (Table 1). Among these species C. brasiliense is considered a climax

hardwood species expected to grow relatively slow, and V. guatemalensis is a long-

lived pioneer, an early succession species (Carpenter et al., 2004). The first thinning

took place in 1994 in Vochysia, and subsequent thinning were performed in the other

species, except forStryphnodendron, in 1996, 1999, and 2001 to reduce tree stocking.

Actual stocking closeness at the time of biomass and soil sampling in July 2005

ranged between 190 and 491 trees ha-1 (Table 2). A pasture in close proximity to the

plantation was used as soil control.

Table 1. Main characteristics of the tree species.

Scientific name

(family)

Common

name

Distribution Growth

(9 years)

Characteristics

Calophylum brasiliense

(Clusiaceae)

Cedro Mara Mexico to North

South America

18.3; 16.2 Mature forest, slower growth

Hieronyma alchorneoides

(Euphorbiaceae)

Piln Belize to Amazon

region

21.7; 17.5 Good litter-producer,moderately fast growth

Stryphnodendron excelsum(Mimosaceae)

Vainillo Nicaragua, CostaRica, Panam

26.6; 15.8 N-fixing, low litter-producer,fast growth

Vochysia guatemalensis

(Vochysiaceae)

Chancho

blanco

All Central

America

28.7; 20.8 Good litter-producer, Alaccumulator, fast growth

1 Russo (2002), numbers refer to diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height, respectively.

2 Montagnini (2000)

Aboveground biomass

Diameter at breast height (DBH) and total height of the trees were taken for each tree

species to determine timber volume and mean annual increments (MAI). Tree

stocking (trees ha-1

) by species was estimated with reference to planting density

(1,111 trees ha-1

). Four representative trees of each species were cut at the ground

line, and separated into components of bole (stem), branches, and foliage. The bole

was cut into 2 m sections, which were then weighed. Branches were cut into


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manageable pieces, foliage was separated from them and both components were

weighed in the field to the nearest 0.05 kg. Samples were taken from the different tree

components. Stem was sampled at three different heights (bottom, middle, and top of

the stem), branches were sampled representing a range of sizes and leaves were taken

from different parts of the crown. Leaf samples were dried in oven for three days and

woody components for one week, at a constant temperature of 60oC, to determine dry

matter content.

Aboveground biomass carbon (ABC) concentrations were determined with the

method of Pregl y Dumas (Bremner y Mulvaney 1982) using a C:N Analyzer (Perkin-

Elmer serie II, CHN/S 2400, Norway Co.). The ABC pool, expressed as Mg ha-1

for

each species, was computed by multiplying the ABC concentration (Kg Mg -1) by dry

matter content of each component.

Statistical analysis

The analysis of variance were conducted using GLM procedure in SAS Statistical

Software v. 8.02(SAS Institute, Inc. 1999 and means were separated using the Duncan

test and reported as different at the P 0.05 level.

Results

The average of growth and performance of the species observed in this study are

presented in table 2. Statistical differences (P


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Table 2. Growth in volume of four native tree species at fourteen years in the

Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica

Species CurrentStock

trees ha-1

DBHcm

Heightm

Volumem3 ha-1

M.A.I.m3 ha-1 yr-1

Cb 491 a 21.6 b 22.7 b 204.2 c 14.6 cVg 413 b 34.6 a 30.1 a 584.4 a 41.7 aHa 481 a 23.5 b 26.9 ab 280.6 b 20.0 bSe 190 c 31.8 a 28.0 a 211.3 c 15.1 c

Cb Calophyllum brasiliense, Ha Hyeronima alchorneoides, Se Stryphnodendrum excelsum, Vg

Vochysia guatemalensis, SOC Soil organic carbonMeans with the same letters in a column are not

statistically different (P


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Aboveground Biomass Carbon

The C accumulated in leaves of C. brasiliense (3.1 Mg C ha-1

), was significantly

higher (P


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Figure 1. Aboveground biomass carbon (ABC) by tree part - foliage, branches

and stemof four native tree species at fourteen years in the Caribbean

lowlands of Costa Rica

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 years

Figure 2. Annual rate of C fixation by the stem of four native tree species

between five and fourteen years in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica

Soil Or ganic Carbon

Soil Organic Carbon in these plots was reported by Jimnez et al. (2007). In the study

the authors observed that concentration decreased with depth in all treatments, and

that the SOC concentration was significantly different among tree species at certain

depths. The highest SOC pool (0-50 cm) was observed underH. alchorneoides (131.9

Mg C ha-1) and V.guatemalensis (119.2 Mg C ha-1). The SOC pools underS. excelsum

and C. brasiliense were similar, i.e., 112.6 Mg C ha-1 and 113.5 Mg C ha-1,

respectively.

Total Carbon

The adds of ABC and SOC (total carbon) from the previous study in each one of the

species ranges between 153 and 196 Mg C ha-1

without significant differences among

M

Cha-1

ear-

1


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the species (Table 4 and figure 3). Between 62.8% to 73.6% of the total carbon was

found to be allocated to the soil.

Table 4. Aboveground standing biomass by tree part of four native tree species

at fourteen years in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica

ABC SOC Total

C

ABC

%

SOC

%

C. brasiliense53.9 113.5 167.4 32.2 67.8

V. guatemalensis70.7 119.2 189.9 37.2 62.8

H. alchorneoides64.1 131.9 196.0 32.7 67.3

S. excelsum40.4 112.6 153.0 26.4 73.6

Figure 3. Total carbon in the system of four native tree species at fourteen years

in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica

Discussion

Dasometric variables average are consistent with other studies reported in the

Caribbean lowlands. The results of this study are in some way coincident with those

ofMontagnini et al. (2005) who reported values of 4.4 Mg ha-1, 10.3 Mg ha-1, 110.9


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Mg ha-1

, and 125.6 Mg ha-1

of foliage, branch, stem, and totalabove-ground biomassrespectively forV. Guatemalensis and values of 11.7 Mg ha

-1, 21.5 Mg ha

-1, 59.4 Mg

ha-1

, and 92.6 Mg ha-1

of foliage, branch, stem, and total above-ground biomassrespectively forC. Brasiliense, in a 10 years old plantation at La Selva Biological

Station.Same authors reported values of 4.7 Mg ha-1

, 27.1 Mg ha-1

, 87.6 Mg ha-1

, and

119.4 Mg ha-1

of foliage, branch, stem, and totalabove-ground biomass respectivelyfor a 9 years old plantation ofH. Alchorneoides. The mean annual increment of

aboveground biomass of all species of this study, are in the ranges reported in other

sites in the humid tropics for native tree plantations (Montagnini and Porras, 1998).

The best performance in aboveground standing biomass (Mg ha-1

) was observed in V.

guatemalensis andH. alchorneoides,. Stand branch biomass of native tree plantations

accounts for 8 to 23 % of tree aboveground biomass (calculated from Montagnini et

al. 2005 and local unpublished data). Branch biomass has high variability, and it is

strongly influenced by a number of variables such as species characteristics, stand

density, age, management and site quality.

The amount of carbon fixed annually by a tree increases over time as the leaf area is

greater until it reaches a semi plateau, or decrease. In general, the biomass allocation

to leaves is generally found to be positively related with the relative growth rate

(Cornelissen et al. 1998). More specifically, annual carbon fixation rates are related to

tree species, physiological aspects, environmental conditions, and management

(Koskela et al. 2000). Also the role of the architecture of the tree canopy is of

increasing importance in trees of increasing size, but it has not been extensively

studied.

Native tree plantations are a form of reforestation, a term used in the Kyoto

Protocol on greenhouse gases as one acceptable practice of removing carbon dioxide

from the atmosphere (ie. a carbon sink). This information can be useful to persons

involved in the decision-making process, and could provide a basis for the similarity

of carbon accumulated in other accredited carbon sinks.


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Redondo-Brenes and Montagnini (2006) made a compilation and updating, at 12 and

13 years old, of previous studies of nine species growing in mixed and pure plantings

in terms of productivity, aboveground biomass, and carbon sequestration at La Selva

Biological Station. The authors conclude that all the species had good growth and

productivity either in pure or mixed stands in comparison to other native and exotic

species growing in similar ecological conditions. The exception was C. brasiliense in

mixed stands, where it was suppressed by the fast-growing species V. guatemalensis

and J. copaia. In this report, are included three of the species of our study (V.

guatemalensis, H. alchorneoides, and C. Brasiliense).

In fact, Cusack and Montagnini (2004) observed significantly higher levels of

understory vegetation underH. alchorneoides, V. guatemalensis and C. brasiliense in

the same region. They also reported that plantation site was the most significant factor

affecting understory vegetation. In our study, understory vegetation was higher in H.

alchorneoides and V. guatemalensis than in C. brasiliense. Tree canopy can shade out

grasses and increase the amount of nutrients in the soil. Understory vegetation is also

affected by vicinity and diversity of natural areas to the plantation. For example, these

authors observed that at La Selva Biological Station there was higher woody plant

regeneration than in farmers plantations.

Vochysia guatemalensis and H. alchorneoides are recommended as favored species

for reforestation of degraded pastures in the lowlands of Costa Rica. The first one

because of its fast growing characteristics and carbon fixation rates in the short term,

and the second due to its timber quality and carbon fixation in the long term.

In summary, the information presented here on aboveground biomass and SOC, in

terms of how it is distributed in the first 50 cm of soil may improve our knowledge

when dealing with soil carbon models (Jobggy and Jackson, 2000), and also to help

determine more efficient strategies for land management in the Caribbean lowlands of

Costa Rica.


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Acknowledgements

Special recognition is made to the University of Ohio and the Department of Energy of theUnited States for financial support received through the Award Number DE FG02-04ER

63856, which made possible this study, as a part of the project Carbon Sequestration

Potential of Productive Systems of the Humid Tropics of Costa Rica (DOE/Ohio S tateUniversity/ EARTH University).

Disclaimer:

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United StatesGovernment. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of theiremployees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability orresponsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus,

product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately ownedrights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade

name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply itsendorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agencythereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or

reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

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