Evaluation of Role of Trees in Atmospheric Carbon Storage, Case of planned city of Bhilai, India

Abstract

The study aimed to assess   the   total   amount   of   carbon   that   trees   hold   in   the   Urban Vacant Lands of Bhilai, (India). Initially, urban vacant lands (UVL) were recognized and categorized before calculating the total biomass and stored carbon of urban trees. Carbon stored values were obtained by the formulas used in allometric modeling and compared against other sectors in the planned city. Complete area and each tree were measured to obtain data of each UVL. Typologies identified for UVL were Planned Vacant Land (4.935 km2) including residual planning space and transport buffers and Geographical Vacant Land (1.297 km2) as natural surroundings.  Maximum carbon was seen in Cassia renegeria (20221.85 Tonnes), Pongammia pinnata (5539.64 Tonnes), Tectona grandis (4577.95 Tonnes), Acacia indica (1843.60 T) and Terminalia arjuna (1803.76 T). The average carbon stored per tree was highest in Ficus religiosa at 4.21 Tc/tree, Cassia renegeria at 3.72 Tc/ tree and Syzgium cumini 2.82Tc/tree. The information gained from the investigation will guide understanding of urban trees’ effect on CO2 in the air and on carbon storage. The study will be useful in planning of open areas in regions affected by air pollution.