Biomass Production and Carbon Sequestration by Azadirachta indica in Coal Mined Lands

Carbon management is a serious concern confronting the world today. The importance of carbon sequestration in tree biomass has long been recognized, but few attempts have been made to estimate tree biomass accumulation and its contribution to sequestration of carbon on mined areas. Carbon sequestration rates vary by tree species, soil type, regional climate, and topography and management practice. We quantified biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration by Azadirachta indica A. Juss raised on coal mine overburden at Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, India, adopting non harvest methods. A. indica, of the family Meliaceae, is one of the most widely distributed and multipurpose tree species occurring in dry regions of the country. Growth data were collected for 115 trees (>5 cm DBH) covering the overburden plantations of Northern Coal Field Limited, Singrauli (India). Plantation varied from 2-18 years. Significant correlations were identified between basal area and volume, DBH and volume and basal area and total biomass.