Assessment of land use cover changes, carbon sequestration and carbon stock in dry temperate forests of Chilas watershed, Gilgit-Baltistan

Abstract

Land use and land cover change are affecting the global environment and ecosystems of the different biospheres. Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of these changes is of utmost importance as they often results in several global environmental consequences such as land degradation, mass erosion, habitat deterioration as well as micro and macro climate of the regions. The advance technologies like remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) are helpful in determining/ identifying these changes. In the current study area, changes in carbon stocks, notably in forest areas, are resulting in considerable dynamics of carbon stocks as a result of climate change and carbon sequestration. This study was carried out in the Diamer district of the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Pakistan to investigate the change in cover change/land use change (particularly Forest Land use) as well as carbon sequestration potential of the forests in the district during almost last 25years. The land cover, temporal Landsat data (level 1, LIT) were downloaded from the USGS EROS (2016), for 1979-1989, 1990-2000 and 2001-2012. Change in land uses, particularly forest cover was investigated using GIS techniques. Forest inventory was carried out using random sampling techniques. A standard plot of size 0.1 ha (n=80) was laid out to determine the tree density, volume, biomass and C stocks. Simulation of C stocks was accomplished by application of the CO2FIX model with the data input from inventory. Results showed a decrease in both forest and snow cover in the region from 1979-2012. Similarly decrease was seen in tree volume, tree Biomass, dynamics of C Stocks and decrease was in occur tree density respectively. It is recommended we need further more like project such as BTAP (Billion Tree Afforestation Project) and green Pakistan project to increase the forest cover, to control on land use change, protect forest ecosystem and to protect snow cover.

Carbon storage potential of Eucalyptus urophylla at several density levels and forest management types in dry land ecosystems

“…A study on the production forest with plantation type in Lishui, South China, revealed that the Pine and Fir have relative carbon storage of 223.36 and 232.04 MgCha -1 , respectively (Diao et al 2022). A similar study, which was also carried out in Chilas, Gilgit District, Baltistan, Pakistan recorded a stock value of 19.41 MgCha -1 (Raqeeb et al 2021). In the Eucalyptus forests, located on the north of Heyfield forest in West Gippsland, low carbon storage of 134 ± 8.4 MgCha -1 was obtained due to frequent fires (Fairman et al 2022).…”

Ecological impact assessment of dam construction: A case study of Diamer Basha Dam Gilgit‐Baltistan, Pakistan

“…As evidenced by earlier studies on land use land cover change, anthropogenic pressure has taken a significant toll on the region's ecosystem, with a gradual loss in natural forest area and an increase in agricultural land (Raqeeb et al, 2021). Due to the urgent need for water, forests are being cut down and important farmland is being flooded, hastening the demise of the Pakistan's remaining forests.…”

Accuracy assessment and uncertainty of the 2020 10-meter resolution land use land cover maps at local scale. Case: talassemtane national park, Morocco

“…Assessing LULC change allows researchers to evaluate and predict their impacts on ecosystem service values [11]. Monitoring LULC change provides wide information about the change in the potential of carbon sequestration of forest land [12].…”