CARBON STORAGE IN THE ABOVE-GROUND BIOMASS OF ONE YOUNG PINUS GREGGII Engelm. PLANTATION

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of Pinus greggii Engelm. for storing carbon in above-ground biomass. Total above ground biomass was estimated throughout the evaluation of a sample of 20 trees, separated into stem, branches and foliage. This evaluation was carried out in a six-year old Pinus greggii Engelm. plantation established at Cuaunepantla, Acaxochitlán, in the state of Hidalgo, México. Average aerial dry biomass was 8.0 kg per tree, from which 4.1 kg (51 %) were in stem, 1.9 kg (24 %) in branches and 2.0 kg (25 %) in foliage. Net primary productivity was estimated at 5.8 t ha^-1 y^-1, considering a plantation density of 4425 trees/ha. Plant tissue carbon concentration was 51 %. A simple mathematic equation (y = 147x + 3288x²) for estimating carbon biomass from the combined variable of diameter and height (D²h) explained 89 % of the variation. Results showed that the potential for carbon storing in a six-year plantation of Pinus greggii Engelm. is relatively high with 17.9 t ha^-1, which represents a carbon dioxide equivalent mass of 65.8 t CO₂ ha^-1.