Version 1
: Received: 22 July 2024 / Approved: 23 July 2024 / Online: 24 July 2024 (11:37:20 CEST)
How to cite:
Razaq, M.; Huang, Q.; Wang, F.; Liu, C.-A.; Gnanamoorthy, P.; Liu, C.; Tang, J. Carbon Storage Dynamics in Rubber Plantations along an Elevational Gradient in Tropical China. Preprints2024, 2024071883. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1883.v1
Razaq, M.; Huang, Q.; Wang, F.; Liu, C.-A.; Gnanamoorthy, P.; Liu, C.; Tang, J. Carbon Storage Dynamics in Rubber Plantations along an Elevational Gradient in Tropical China. Preprints 2024, 2024071883. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1883.v1
Razaq, M.; Huang, Q.; Wang, F.; Liu, C.-A.; Gnanamoorthy, P.; Liu, C.; Tang, J. Carbon Storage Dynamics in Rubber Plantations along an Elevational Gradient in Tropical China. Preprints2024, 2024071883. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1883.v1
APA Style
Razaq, M., Huang, Q., Wang, F., Liu, C. A., Gnanamoorthy, P., Liu, C., & Tang, J. (2024). Carbon Storage Dynamics in Rubber Plantations along an Elevational Gradient in Tropical China. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1883.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Razaq, M., Chenggang Liu and Jianwei Tang. 2024 "Carbon Storage Dynamics in Rubber Plantations along an Elevational Gradient in Tropical China" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1883.v1
Abstract
Carbon (C) losses due to the conversion of natural forests adversely affect the abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems. In tropical China, rubber cultivation often extends from its traditional range to elevations of up to 1400 m. However, C storage in rubber plantations across elevation gradients is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated biomass and C storage along elevation gradients in two age groups (8- and 12-year-old) of rubber monoculture plantations in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. We investigated the C distribution across various tree sections, ranging from aboveground biomass (AGB) to belowground biomass (BGB), including litter, big dead branches, and different soil depths. A significant negative correlation was observed between total ecosystem C stocks and elevation in both age groups of rubber plantations. The highest ecosystem C stock of 197.90 Mg C ha–1 was recorded at 900 m in 8-year-old plantations, whereas in 12-year-old rubber plantations, the highest value of 183.12 Mg C ha–1 was found at 700 m. The total ecosystem C stocks decreased to its lowest level at 1000 m in both the 8-year-old and 12-year-old plantations, ranging between 113.05 Mg C ha–1 and 125.75 Mg C ha–1, respectively. We concluded that the total ecosystem C stocks were negatively correlated with elevation and significantly decreased from 8.05% to 51.55% and 11.46% to 42.96% between 700 m and 1100 m in both 8-year-old and 12-year-old plantations, respectively. However, no correlation was observed between the total soil C stocks and elevation in either age group of rubber plantations. Regardless of elevation gradient, the total ecosystem C stock of 12-year-old rubber plantations was 1.98% greater than that of 8-year-old rubber plantations. Biomass was the second largest contributor, while soil accounted for 82% to 90%, and the other factors contributed less than 2% of the total ecosystem C stock in both age groups. These fluctuations in C stocks along elevation gradients in both 8- and 12-year-old plantations suggested that rubber growth, biomass and C storage capacity decreased above 900 m and that age and elevation are key factors for biomass and C storage in monoculture rubber plantations.
Keywords
elevation gradients; age effect; monoculture rubber plantation; carbon (C) stock
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Ecology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
