Alamgir, Mohammed, and Turton, Stephen M. (2014) Climate change and organic carbon storage in Bangladesh forests. In: Tuteja, Narenda, and Gill, Sarvajeet S., (eds.) Climate Change and Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance. Wiley-Blackwell, Weinheim, Germany, pp. 881-902.

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Abstract

From a climate change vulnerability perspective, Bangladesh is among the most vulnerable countries in the world, with adverse effects being apparent for many different sectors of the economy, including forestry. Bangladesh forests are being considered as an important stock of tree biomass and hence organic carbon, although storage quantity varies from one forest type to another. This variation is due to differences in species composition, the spatial distribution of forest types, and responses of forests to environmental changes. The aim of this chapter is to illustrate the trend of organic carbon storage in different forest types in Bangladesh, as well as the potential of different trees to sequester and store organic carbon, and to examine the consequences of climate change for this organic carbon storage. Among the different forest types of Bangladesh, Sundarbans (natural Mangrove forests), Hill forests, and Village forests (forests around village households) store a substantial quantity of organic carbon. Organic carbon storage in Sundarbans is low per tree, but high per unit area due to high stem density. These trees are highly sensitive to abiotic stresses, such as the uneven distribution of rainfall, salinity, and droughts. By comparison, in Hill forests most of the trees are slow growing at a high density and are therefore more tolerant to abiotic stresses. Hill forests also store more organic carbon per tree and per unit area. Village forests are a mixture of slow-growing, high-density trees and fast-growing, low-density trees. Some trees in Village forests are highly sensitive to abiotic stress, while some are highly tolerant to abiotic stress. Low rainfall and high temperature are threatening both Hill forests and Village forests. Climate change may reduce organic carbon storage in all forests types as it will create favorable conditions for vines, climbers, and other low-biomass plants, thereby suppressing the growth of slow-growing, high-density trees.

Item ID:	31383
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-3-527-33491-9
Keywords:	abiotic stress; tolerance; Bangladesh; forest; climate change; hill forests; mangrove forests; organic carbon storage; sustainability; plain land Sal forests; village forests
Date Deposited:	25 Feb 2015 06:17
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0501 Ecological Applications > 050101 Ecological Impacts of Climate Change @ 50% 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0503 Soil Sciences > 050301 Carbon Sequestration Science @ 50%
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9603 Climate and Climate Change > 960301 Climate Change Adaptation Measures @ 100%
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