Browsing by Author "Sharda Rani Gupta"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Carbon sequestration potential and CO2 fluxes in a tropical forest ecosystem
(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Vikram Singh Yadav; Surender Singh Yadav; Sharda Rani Gupta; Ram Swaroop Meena; Rattan Lal; Narender Singh Sheoran; Manoj Kumar Jhariya
Carbon (C) is a key product of forests, but not widely studied for available C stock, and biomass of tree species in typical forest ecosystems of India. Therefore, it is useful to estimate C stock at national and regional levels for establishing forest-based policies and developing roadmap for long-term plans and strategies to reduce the rate of increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Hence, present investigation was conducted to assess C storage and CO2 fluxes in tropical dry deciduous forest ecosystems of Jhumpa and Kairu in the southern Haryana, India. The C stock of trees in above ground biomass (AGB) was calculated by assuming the C content at 50% of the total biomass. Concentration of C in composite samples of shoots and roots of shrubs and herbs was estimated by the ash method. Soil C storage was determined on the basis of C concentration and soil bulk density up to 60 cm depth. The AGB of trees ranged from 33.1 to 75.8 Mg ha−1; the belowground biomass from 9.0 to 18.5 Mg ha−1 and total plant C storage from 24.3 to 53.9 Mg C ha−1. The total biomass of shrubs was 16.2 Mg ha−1 for the Salvadora oleoides forest at Jhumpa compared with 8.4 Mg ha−1 for the Acacia senegal-Acacia tortilis forest at Kairu. Net primary productivity of various components of trees in these forest ecosystems ranged from 8.1 to 9.6 Mg ha−1 y−1 and net flux of C from 4.6 to 5.8 Mg C ha−1 y−1. The annual litter fall in two forest ecosystems ranged from 3356 to 4498 Kg ha−1. S. oleoides contributed 50.0% and 47.3% towards the above ground and below ground C pools corresponding to the 17.9 Mg C ha−1and 4.1 Mg C ha−1, respectively. S. oleoides played a dominant role in biomass production and C assimilation in S. oleoides-A. tortilis forest at Jhumpa, while Prosopis juliflora and A. senegal were the highest contributors in A. senegal-A. tortilis forest at Kairu because of a high girth class and high density of trees, respectively. The cumulative soil organic carbon (SOC) stock up to 60 cm depth was more in A. senegal-A. tortilis forest at Kairu (16.3 Mg C ha−1) than that in the SO-AT forest at Jhumpa (12.9 Mg C ha−1). The results of this study revealed that S. oleoides and P. juliflora are key species as they sequester more C under a range of disturbances. Carbon sequestration potential of the studied forest ecosystems was 3.55 to 4.35 Mg C ha−1 y−1 which indicates a high C sequestration potential of these ecosystems. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.
Disturbance Mediated Changes in Litter Turnover and Nutrient Use Efficiency Facilitate Vegetation Shifts in Tropical Dry Ecosystems: Insights From a 10-Year Vegetation Management Study
(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2025) R. K. Chaturvedi; Surendra Kumar Pandey; Anshuman K. Tripathi; Laxmi Goparaju; Arun Jyoti NATH; Akhilesh Singh Raghubanshi; Sharda Rani Gupta; Jamuna Sharan Singh
Tropical dry forests and savannas are critical yet understudied ecosystems that regulate global biogeochemical cycles and support biodiversity. However, their functioning is increasingly threatened by anthropogenic disturbances and climate change. Here, we present a decade-long study (2005–2014) examining litterfall dynamics and nutrient cycling across protection gradients (permanently protected [PP], moderately protected [MP], and unprotected [UP] stands) in India's Vindhyan plateau, where forests are transitioning to savannas due to land-use change. Using field measurements, satellite data, and ecological modeling, we quantified how protection status mediates ecosystem processes in these contrasting biomes. We found that protection status overrides biome differences in driving ecosystem function. PP stands maintained 35%–50% higher annual litterfall (6.4 vs. 3.2 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and double the nutrient return rates (2.54 vs. 1.19 Mg ha−1 yr−1) compared to UP stands, facilitated by microclimatic buffering (3°C–5°C cooler soils, 15%–20% higher humidity) and reduced disturbance. Forests exhibited “elastic resilience,” resisting degradation until abrupt collapse under high disturbance, whereas savannas showed “graded resilience,” declining linearly with disturbance intensity. Alarmingly, MP stands displayed limited recovery, suggesting passive protection alone is insufficient for restoration. Disturbances disrupted nutrient cycling, with UP areas showing 20%–25% higher nutrient use efficiency (NUE)—a short-term survival strategy that reduces long-term nutrient availability. Savanna UP sites are projected to lose 30%–40% of litterfall capacity by 2035, risking irreversible degradation. Landsat data revealed a 6.3% decline in forest cover (2002–2014), exacerbating fire-prone feedback loops. Our findings underscore that protection is paramount for maintaining tropical dry ecosystem functions. Forests require fire suppression, while savannas need grazing management. We advocate for landscape-scale conservation integrating protected cores with buffered use zones. This study provides a framework for managing biome-specific resilience in the face of global change, emphasizing urgent, targeted interventions to avert ecosystem collapse. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.