Preliminary Study of Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Estimation in Som Forest Reserve, Jerantut, Pahang

Abstract

The biomass of trees is a by-product of photosynthesis and carbon sequestration by trees. The study of biomass estimation is the assessment of a forest's carbon stock to determine the ecosystem's carbon accumulation and yield. In the Kyoto Protocol, tree biomass assessment was recognized as an important method to quantify the carbon stock of the forest accurately. Many researchers in Malaysia have conducted extensive research on forest biomass assessment. However, the biomass data in the Som Forest Reserve of Pahang, which is located in the protected forest area in the Jerantut district, has yet to be investigated. Thus, this study aimed to determine the biomass of trees in a Malaysian lowland dipterocarp forest at an altitude of 118-129 meters above sea level. Seven plots with a diameter of 20 m × 50 m were established, and trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) greater than 5 cm were tagged, and the DBH was recorded. The study was conducted in February 2023. Aboveground and belowground biomass was determined using a non-destructive method, and biomass analysis was performed using the allometric equation. The study plots contained 669 trees with a more than 5 cm DBH. The diameter at breast height (DBH) of the trees in the study area ranged from 5.0 to 116.0 cm. The total basal area in the Som Forest Reserve was 36.82 m²/ha. The aboveground biomass is 617.06 t/ha, and the total belowground biomass is 81.11 t/ha. Therefore, it is assumed that the total biomass assessed in this study achieves a similar result to other biomass estimation studies conducted in the lowland dipterocarp forest in Malaysia .