Biomass production and carbon stock inventory of high-altitude dry temperate land use systems in North Western Himalaya

Carbon stock estimation in different land use systems is necessary for curbing global climatic crisis. In the present study, high-altitude dry temperate land use systems (LUS) at three altitudinal ranges “A 1, 1900–2170 m.a.s.l., A 2, 2170–2440 m.a.s.l., and A 3, 2440–2710 m.a.s.l.” were selected based on lapse rates in Kinnur district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The study was aimed at estimating the difference in biomass and carbon stocks in different land use systems and recommendation of the suitable environment-friendly land use for the region. Six land use systems viz.; agriculture, horticulture, agrihorticulture, agri-horti-silviculture, silvipasture, and barren land common at all the three altitudes were selected for experimental setup. Maximum mean aboveground biomass (84.65 t ha − 1 ), belowground biomass (19.50 t ha − 1 ), and total biomass (104.10 t ha − 1 ) were recorded in the silvipasture land use system. Total biomass production of different land use systems followed the order: silvipasture > agri-horti-silviculture > agrihorticulture > horticulture > agriculture > barren land respectively. Maximum soil organic carbon (1.41%) was recorded in silvipasture land use systems, which however remained statistically at par with the organic carbon contents of horticulture. Soil organic carbon, irrespective of the land use system increased with increase in altitudinal range and decreased with increase in soil depth. Maximum carbon density (155.77 t ha − 1 ) in 0–100 cm layer was in agri-horticulture LUS. The order of carbon density under different land use systems was agri-horticulture > agri-horti-silviculture > silvipasture > horticulture > agriculture > barren land. Irrespective of the land use system, the carbon density at different altitudinal gradient followed the trend A 1 , 1900–2170 m.a.s.l., > A 3 , 2440–2710 m.a.s.l and > A 2 , 2170–2440 m.a.s.l. The outcome of the study can play an important role, while selecting different land use systems and different crop combinations for effective management of carbon budget to mitigate climate change and global warming issues in other fragile Himalayan ecosystems.