Evaluating the role of roadside vegetation in atmospheric carbon dioxide mitigation: a case study

ABSTRACT

Urban green spaces have received little attention for climate change mitigation by way of carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration. The present study explores the diversity and CO₂ mitigation value of roadside tree species in Sagar city, India. Various diversity and richness indices were determined to assess the diversity structure of these discontinuous vegetations. The CO₂ mitigation value was determined by estimating biomass and carbon stock through a non-destructive method. The study area was found to include 1,130 individuals belonging to 26 families and 66 species. A higher value of diversity indices (Simpson’s, 0.95 and Shannon’s, 3.42) and lower Simpson’s index of dominance (0.05), along with the higher value of species richness (9.25) and evenness (0.82) showed good diversity and uniform distribution of the species. The CO₂ mitigation value for the present study area was 66.62 Mg/ha, along with a total biomass value of 36.3 Mg/ha and a carbon stock of 18.15 Mg C/ha. Observations from the study show that these types of vegetations do play a substantial role in carbon sequestration. The results of this study will be useful to give an insight into the significance of these roadside trees to policymakers and the necessity for careful management of them.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomass
• carbon stock
• CO₂ mitigation
• roadside vegetation
• biodiversity

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Head of the Department of Botany, Dr H.S. Gour University, Sagar, for providing the facilities. The paper is the outcome of a project undertaken by students for their PhD coursework. This work was supported by the fellowship of the University Grant Commission, Govt. of India to PhD students (PKP, PK, DM, CA).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data will be made available on request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pranab Kumar Pati

Pranab Kumar Pati is a research scholar in the Department of Botany, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., India. He is working on the assessment of biomass and carbon stock using habitat-species-specific and wood-specific gravity in different forest communities of Madhya Pradesh. Further, his research interests include the study of forest fire, plant invasion and plant functional traits in different forest communities of central India.

Priya Kaushik

Priya Kaushik is a research scholar in the Department of Botany, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., India. Her research interests include the study of plant invasion from a functional trait perspective.

Devanand Maurya

Devanand Maurya is a research scholar in the Department of Botany, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., India. His research interests include the phytotaxonomical and ethnobotanical studies of plant species in diverse forest communities of central India.

Chayan Adhikari

Chayan Adhikari is a research scholar in the Department of Botany, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., India. His research interests include the phytotaxonomical and ethnobotanical studies of plant species in tropical dry deciduous forest communities of central India.

Amit Jugnu Bishwas

Amit Jugnu Bishwas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., India. His research interests include the phytotaxonomical and ethnobotanical studies of plant species in different forest communities of central India.

Mohammed Latif Khan

Mohammed Latif Khan is a Senior Professor in the Department of Botany, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., India. His broad research interests span the disciplines of ecology, environment, and diversity. At the present time, some of the main areas of his research include biodiversity assessment and the development of its conservation strategies, the impact of forest fires on floristic diversity in different forest ecosystems, the assessment of plant invasion at multiple spatial scales and the assessment of disturbance impacts etc.

Pramod Kumar Khare

Pramod Kumar Khare is a Professor in the Department of Botany, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., India. His broad research interests span the disciplines of ecology, taxonomy, and climate change. Currently, some of the focal areas of his research include the assessment of biomass and carbon stock in different forest communities across climatic and geographic gradients, assessment of the impacts of tree and climber invasion on floristic composition and ecological processes from a perspective of functional traits and functional diversity.