Impact of Forest Disturbance on Tree Diversity, Biomass, Carbon Accumulation, and Soil Characteristics in Tripura, Northeast India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55863/ijees.2025.0885Keywords:
Carbon stocks, Diversity indices, Forest disturbances, Management strategiesAbstract
This study examined the impacts of forest disturbances on tree diversity, carbon biomass storage, and soil nutritional attributes in the tropical moist mixed deciduous forests of Tripura, a region in North-East India. Based on the degree of disturbance, representative sites for the least disturbed natural forest (LDNF) and highly disturbed natural forest (HDNF) are identified. LDNF was more species diverse than the HDNF and exhibited an elevated tree density value of 162 stems ha-1, primarily comprising Microcos paniculata. In contrast, in HDNF, the tree density was 255 stems ha-1, primarily comprising Shorea robusta. Careya arborea and Sterculia villosa had the lowest tree density, at 5 stems ha-1. The dominant species of LDNF is Schima wallichii (IVI=28.06), and S. robusta (IVI=59.77) in HDNF. S. wallichii (128.72 Mg ha-1 biomass, 64.36 Mg ha-1 carbon) showed significantly high biomass and carbon contribution among all species in LDNF. S. robusta (161.33 Mg ha-1 biomass, 80.67 Mg ha-1 carbon) contributed maximally in HDNF. Shannon-Wiener tree diversity index ranged from 2.05 to 2.70, the mean tree density from 648 to 955 stems ha-1 and the mean biomass carbon from 218.42 to 338.42 Mg ha-1 in the study area. While LDNF recorded higher soil organic carbon storage, HDNF exhibited higher carbon loss through harvesting and burning. As indicated by the correlation matrix, the depletion of the biomass reservoir wielded a noteworthy influence on both the carbon content within biomass and the characteristics of soil profiles. Disturbance plays a crucial role in regulating the ecosystem’s biodiversity and its capacity to sequester carbon.
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