Aboveground biomass and carbon estimation in stands with and without forest management at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve

Abstract

The estimation of accumulated aboveground biomass in a forest with management for timber harvesting is of importance to evaluate sustainability regarding the effect of the silvicultural system, and to understand the dynamics and functioning of forest ecosystems. Aboveground biomass accumulation reflects productivity at a given site. In this work we estimated the aboveground biomass and the carbon, in stands with and without forest management, in the Chincua, Senguio, Michoacán Ejido, through the generation of allometric equations for Abiesreligiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham and PinuspseudostrobusLindl, while for the broadleaf equations from other studies were used and, in addition, by means of inventory data for all species. The stand without management had a biomass of 323.23 Mg ha-1, while the stand with management 287.62 Mg ha-1, which, despite its variability, did not present significant differences (P = 0.96). The carbon content also did not present significant differences (P = 0.97), being 155.03 Mg ha-1 and 128.44 Mg ha-1 in the stands without and with management, respectively. The results indicate that with forest management, under the silvicultural selection system, the structure and composition of the managed stand were conserved, which allowed maintaining the biomass storage in an amount similar to that of a forest without management; Therefore, managed forests can be efficient carbon sinks, plus the amount of this element in the process of harvesting and processing of wood to long-term forest products, such as construction timber, furniture, railways ties, utility poles, among others, which allow their permanence for relatively long periods.