Develop an Allometric Model to Estimate the Total Carbon Sequestration Potential of Coconut Cultivation

Abstract

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) is an important tropical tree crop grown extensively across the tropical belt of the world. In addition to their numerous food and non-food uses, coconut palm plays a vital role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration. Accurately quantifying the carbon sequestered by coconut palms is crucial for assessing their climate change mitigation potential and inclusion in carbon trading schemes. This study focused on estimating the carbon sequestration potential of coconut cultivations in Sri Lanka using a multidisciplinary approach combining field measurements, laboratory analyses, and modeling techniques. Coconut palms were selected from age categories to estimate the total carbon stock. The selected age categories were 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 years and the estimated carbon stocks for each age category were 22.59 Mg[C]ha-1, 34.99 Mg[C]ha-1, 53.13 Mg[C]ha-1, 63.40 Mg[C]ha-1, and 66.03 Mg[C]ha-1, respectively. An allometric equation was developed to estimate the total carbon stock in coconut palm (TC) using four equations which had been developed by previous studies and above results; TC = (0.0073 × a) + 0.0852, where “TC’ is the total carbon stock and “a” is the age (year) of the palm.