Surveys conducted inside the Anamalai Tiger Reserve have shed light on the carbon storage capabilities of various forest types. The study, conducted in natural evergreen and deciduous forests and in teak and eucalyptus plantations, has shown that species-rich evergreen forests demonstrated the highest storage of carbon.
Carbon Storage Comparison
The results of the study revealed that species-rich evergreen forests stored carbon at approximately 300 tons per hectare. Notably, this was significantly higher than the storage capacities of teak and eucalyptus plantations, which were found to be 43% and 55% less, respectively.
Moreover, the researchers discovered that the capture rates of carbon effectively remained consistent year after year in natural forests. This contrasts with the fluctuating rates observed in plantation environments.
The Role of Forest Diversity
According to government data, presently, five or fewer species are used for compensatory afforestation plantations. This biodiversity is significantly less diverse than that found in natural forests. The research suggests that protecting and regenerating natural forests, made up of a diverse mix of native tree species, is a much more effective strategy in the long term for mitigating climate change, compared to establishing monoculture or species-poor plantations.
Furthermore, a lack of species variety can negatively impact both biodiversity and the stability of carbon capture processes.
Benefits to Biodiversity
Species-rich forests offer benefits not just in terms of carbon storage, but they also contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. They provide a varied habitat for diverse flora and fauna. Previous studies have emphasized that species-rich forests are more resilient to diseases, offering another argument in favor of such ecosystems.
Enhancing Resource Security
In addition to the aforementioned benefits, species-rich forests demonstrate better resistance to forest fires. This is due to the varying degrees of fire resistance offered by different tree species, with the level of resistance often correlated with the thickness of the tree’s bark.
| Forest type | Carbon storage per hectare (tons) |
|---|---|
| Species-rich evergreen forests | 300 |
| Teak Plantations | 171 (43% less) |
| Eucalyptus Plantations | 135 (55% less) |
About Anamalai Tiger Reserve
The Anamalai Tiger Reserve, where the surveys were conducted, is one of the four Tiger Reserves in Tamil Nadu, alongside Mudumalai, Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserves and Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary. Located within the Western Ghats range of South West India, this area is recognized as one of the 25 Global Biodiversity Hotspots.
The reserve is home to a variety of wildlife including elephants, gaurs, tigers, panthers, sloth bears, wild boars, wild dogs, Nilgiri langurs, lion-tailed macaques, sambars, four horned antelopes, chitals, the trogon, pied hornbill and several eagles.
The Tiger Reserve supports diverse habitat types like Wet evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, dry thorn, and shola forests. Additionally, it includes unique habitats like montane grasslands, savannahs and marshy grasslands.
