The dynamic of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and land coverage on intercropping system on oil palm replanting area

Abstract

Oil palm replanting has faced environmental criticism as it is a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. The aim of this study was to determine the level of CO2 emissions and the value of carbon stocks for oil palm smallholders replanting. The measurements were taken using the infrared gas analyser (IRGA) method for CO2 emission. Non-destructive methods were used to measure carbon stocks for oil palm-stands while destructive methods were used for understorey and intercropped plants. This study shows that there was dynamic of CO2 emission during the replanting averaging (t CO2 ha–1 yr–1) 28.5 for 28-year-old oil palm, 59.0 for bare land after land clearing, 47.0 for intercropped plants in the vegetative phase, 51.6 for intercropped plants in the generative phase and 42.9 for one-year-old oil palm. It was found that CO2 emissions were reduced due to the conditions of land coverage and that the reduction in CO2 emissions occurred not only because of the absorption of CO2 by plants for photosynthesis but also due to being stored away, as much of the carbon stock (t C ha–1) was found in corn (10.2), legume cover crops (7.6), soyabeans (3.5) and natural vegetation (2.8). In 28-year-old oil palm it was found to be at 74.7. E IN PR