Above- and below-ground carbon stock estimation in a natural forest of Bangladesh

The research was aimed to estimate above- and below-ground carbon stock in Tankawati natural hill forest of Bangladesh. A systematic sampling method was used to identify each sampling point through Global Positioning System (GPS). Loss on ignition and wet oxidation method were used to estimate biomass and soil carbon stock, respectively. Results revealed that the total carbon stock of the forest was 283.80 t.ha-1 whereas trees produce 110.94 t.ha-1, undergrowth (shrubs, herbs and grass) 0.50 t.ha-1, litter fall 4.21 t.ha-1 and soil 168.15 t.ha-1 (up to 1m depth). The forest in the study area is a reservoir of carbon, as it has a good capacity to stock carbon from the atmosphere. To realize the forest sector potentiality inBangladesh, the carbon sequestration should be integrated with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) carbon trading system of the Kyoto Protocol.