Estimation of carbon emissions from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forest plantations using Allometric equations

Fire is one of the main causes of carbon emission from forest stands. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the amount of carbon emission caused by fire in the loblolly pine plantations in the Takhsam region that located in area of Lakan city of Guilan province. For this purpose, a burned region with 5 hectares’ area and a control region next to burned stand were selected and 5 circle sample plots with 4r­ (400 square meters) areas were accomplished in two stands by random-systematic method and trees diameter at breast height and total height in sample plots were taken. Then, by investigating the conducted studies Finally, 5 models selected to calculate the trees biomass in two stands. According to the results of this study, the average of trees biomass in the control stand was estimated between 93086.98 (P model) to 10536.9 kg/ha (model M) and the average of trees biomass in the burnt stand was estimated from 67829.73 (P model) to 83509.04 kg /ha (model M). The results of this study also showed that the carbon stock content in the control and fired stands was 48.853 and 38.357 tons per hectare respectively which showed significant difference in t-test. The amount of carbon emissions from the fire was 10495.69 tons per hectare and the total carbon emission at the surface of the fire spot was about 52.478 tons. Among the selected models, P model (BD = β0 β1(DBH­β2)) provided the least standard deviation in the calculations.