Abstract:
Homegarden systems are suggested to hold a large potential for carbon (C) sequestration,
especially for climate change mitigation and adaptation under changing environment. This
is due to their multifunctional ecosystem services while decreasing pressure on natural
forests and hence saving and storing carbon. In this research total above and bellow ground
carbon stock, tree species diversity and soil organic carbon were quantified in homegarden
around four villages of two Upazila of Rangpur district in northern part of Bangladesh. A
total 64 homegardens were sampled on size, diameter at breast height of trees, tree height
and tree species diversity. Using allometric equations, assuming C as 50% of biomass a
total mean above and bellow ground biomass carbon stocks (AGB+BGB) was found
53.53Mg ha
-1
. Mean carbon stock per unit area was higher in small homegarden (69.15 Mg
ha
-1
) compared to medium (47.96 Mg ha
-1
) and large (39.93 Mg ha
-1
) homegarden. In total
1671 trees were sampled and 32 different tree species were identified and recorded. The
Shannon Wiener index was used to evaluate the tree diversity per homegarden and it
ranged from 1.00 to 2.2 with a mean value of 1.64. For determination of soil organic
carbon (SOC), soil sample were collected from two depths (5-10 cm and 20-25cm) at two
different sampling sites of sampled homegardens. The average value of SOC was found
49.24 Mg ha
-1
where small size homegarden had high tree density contain highest amount
of SOC (63.62 Mg ha
-1
) per unit area compared to medium (42.80 Mg ha
) and large
(38.50 Mg ha
-1
) size homegardens. These results imply that homegarden can serve as an
important ecological tool in terms of carbon sequestration, conservation of tree species
diversity and storage of soil organic carbon. However specific homegarden management
plan for increased carbon sequestration potentiality and conservation of homegarden
species diversity through scientific management should be encouraged for further
investigation in this region. This result also useful for whether homegarden should be
considered to be included in the UN-REDD+ National Program as an activity to enhance
natural forest cover within Bangladesh.
Description:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Agriculture,
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University,
Dhaka, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements
for the degree
of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
AGROFORESTRY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
