Managing rubber plantations for advancing climate change mitigation strategy

Storing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) in a long-term reservoir is one of the viable strategies to decelerate the climate change phenomenon. Terrestrial vegetation, especially forestry and agroforestry systems have been prioritized to stock CO2 through phototropic sequestration. Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), primarily managed for latex production, is explored in this contribution for its role in vegetation carbon stock management and climate change mitigation. The present study was carried out in selected Hevea stands aged between 5 and 40 years from Barak Valley, part of North East India. A total of 67 trees were harvested to estimate the biomass carbon stock in above-and below-ground components in plantations of different age groups. The study revealed that plantation density of 688-784 trees ha(-1) is managed under plantations of different age groups. Total biomass (above and below ground) increased from 41 kg tree(-1) under 5-10 years to 307 kg tree(-1) under 30-40 years age group of plantations. Total vegetation carbon stock (Mg ha(-1); above and below ground) ranged from 16.00 (5-10 years) to 105.73 (30-40 years), which is more than many tropical forestry and agroforestry systems across the world. Vegetation carbon sequestration rate revealed that 2.56 mg C ha(-1) year(-1) organic carbon is being accumulated in Hevea plantations. Considering the economic profitability from Hevea plantation management (through latex production) and its capability to stock high-biomass carbon, restoring degraded and secondary forests through this species will improve livelihood security and advance climate change mitigation strategies.