CARBON STOCKS ASSESSMENT OF A SECONDARY FOREST IN MOUNT MAKILING FOREST RESERVE, PHILIPPINES

Abstract

Carbon stocks assessment of a secondary forest in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve, Philippines. Tropical forests are important source and sink of carbon (C). However, there are limited information on the ability of tropical forests to store and sequester C. This study is aimed at quantifying the C stocks of a secondary forest in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve, Philippines. The total biomass (above and below ground) of the forest was 576 Mg ha^-1 with an  annual  tree biomass accumulation  of 12 Mg ha^-1 year. At an average of 43% C content of biomass,  total C stocks was  418 Mg C ha^-1 including soil organic C which comprised about 40% of the total. Carbon sequestration rates were estimated at 5 Mg C ha^-1 year^-1.