Estimativa da biomassa e do carbono estocado na parte aérea em fragmento de floresta ombrófila mista na UFFS – Campus Erechim

Abstract

Forests are essential both for protecting wildlife and for maintaining the balance of the carbon cycle on the planet. The objective of this study is to estimate the aboveground forest biomass and carbon stock in a 2.31-hectare forest fragment of Floresta Ombrófila Mista, located at the University Federal of Fronteira Sul (UFFS), Erechim Campus, RS. Through a forest inventory using indirect methods and allometric equations, all individuals with circumference at breast height (CAP) equal to or greater than 15 cm were sampled. The survey recorded 625 individuals distributed among 45 species and 26 botanical families, highlighting a community at an advanced stage of regeneration, with an average diameter at breast height (DAP) of 26 cm and an average height of 13 m. The species Sebastiania commersoniana (branquilho), Casearia sylvestris (chá-de-bugre), and Allophylus edulis (chal-chal) stood out in abundance, reflecting the disturbance history of the area, which served as pastureland until 2010. The total aboveground biomass was estimated at 233.088 tons, resulting in a carbon stock of 116.544 tons. It is concluded that, despite historical anthropogenic interventions, the fragment plays a significant ecological role as a carbon sink and in the conservation of regional biodiversity, and especially as an area for education, contemplation, leisure and gathering for the academic community of UFFS.