Projection of the potential of air carbon stored in the tropical broadleaf rainforest of two communities of the Región Autónoma de la Costa Caribe Norte, Nicaragua

Abstract

Gas emissions in recent decades have increased due to human actions, generating interest in measuring the amount of carbon present in tropical forests. This research consists of evaluating year zero and projecting the carbon stored for year fifteen in humid tropical forests of the Municipality of Prinzapolka, from the forest inventories of 4 General Forest Management Plans of broadleaf species. Biomass and carbon were calculated in 2 moments, year zero, year fifteen, projecting growth through the average annual increase and calculating forest use by extracting 40 % of commercial species. The general forest management plan El Sapito in year zero obtained a carbon of 58.4 t ha^-1, year fifteen 77.3 t ha^-1 with an increase of 32 %; when commercial timber is extracted it decreases to 39 %. The general forest management plan for La Pía in year zero obtained 104.9 t ha^-1, year fifteen 165.9 t ha^-1 with a 58 % increase, when extracting commercial timber grows 19%. The general forest management plan La Esperanza in year zero 476.4 t ha^-1, year fifteen 680.9 t ha^-1 which represents a 43 % increase; when timber extraction is made, it decreases 4%. The general plan of forest management of Zapote with the lowest carbon data of 33.3 t ha^-1 in year zero and year fifteen 57.8 t ha^-1; When Forest harvesting is carried out, unlike the first general forest management plans, a growth of 37 % is observed. A growth trend is clearly noticeable in both carbons stored between year zero and year fifteen. By applying forest harvesting in 40 % of the available volume of each general forest management plan, there is a decrease in carbon.