Abstract

M Manjunatha, AS Devakumar, Nivedita M and CG Kushalappa

The biomass accumulation of standing trees and the carbon stored in it varied considerably by different shade tree species grown in the coffee plantations under two vegetation types. The contribution of Tabernaemontana heyniana, Syzygium cumini and Acrocarpus fraxinifolius was as high as 8.7, 8.5 and 7.2 per cent of the carbon stocked in the total above ground biomass by the shade trees respectively, while it was as low as 1.2 per cent in Erythrina suberosa. Though the number of trees per unit of land area was more in case of Gravillea robusta, the contribution in terms of carbon stocked in it was only 1.8 per cent. The contribution of all the ten dominant tree species to the total above ground biomass of shade trees was found to be 43.3 per cent but in case of coffee plantations of moist deciduous type of vegetation, Acrocarpus fraxinifolius and Gravillea robusta recorded 88 and 49 number of individuals per hectare which was highest, while it was as low as 9 and 12 in case of Acrocarpus fraxinifolius and Holigarna nigra respectively. The maximum per cent contribution of carbon stocking was seen in Terminalia bellarica and Ficus racemosa to the extent of 21.5 and 11.7 respectively, while it was least in case of Mangifera indica 2.1 per cent