The potential of Rubber and Acacia Plantations for Forest Carbon Stocks in Malaysia

Published date

International Forestry Review

Published by: Commonwealth Forestry Association

International Forestry Review 18(1):68-77. 2016 
https://doi.org/10.1505/146554816818206140

Le potentiel des plantations d'hévéas et d'acacia pour les stocks de carbone forestier en Malaisie El potencial de las plantaciones de caucho y acacias de las reservas de carbono forestal en Malasia

Author

J. Ratnasingam

, 

K. Thiruselvam

 and 

F. Ioras

SUMMARY

In Malaysia, the primary forested land change process is due to the establishment of plantations on logged-over forests and areas used for shifting cultivation. While standing carbon stocks of natural forest have been the focus of many studies, reports on the carbon stocks in Acacia and rubber plantations in Malaysia is sparse. Therefore, this article attempts to collate and analyse Malaysian datasets on total carbon stocks for aboveground biomass in the Acacia and rubber plantations by applying the biomass expansion factor for the period from 1990 to 2013. The forest plantations have higher growth rates, and the harvesting waste and residues left behind are significantly more than the natural forests. Therefore, it leads to greater emission compared to the natural forests. Hence, Acacia and rubber plantations were not able to sequester and store carbon at the same amount as the natural forest, which resulted in carbon credit on the forest carbon stock.

En Malaisie, le principal processus de transformation des terres boisées est la création de plantations sur les forêts exploitées et sur les terres utilisées pour les cultures itinérantes. Si beaucoup d'études se sont penchées sur les stocks de carbone des forêts naturelles, il existe en revanche peu de recherches sur les stocks de carbone des plantations d' acacias et d'hévéas en Malaisie. L'objectif de cet article est donc de regrouper et d'analyser les données malaisiennes concernant l'ensemble des stocks de carbone pour la biomasse épigée dans les plantations d'acacia et d'hévéas en appliquant le facteur d'expansion de la biomasse pour la période allant de 1990 à 2013. Les plantations forestières enregistrent des taux de croissance plus élevés, et les déchets et résidus laissés après les récoltes sont sensiblement plus importants que pour les forêts naturelles, ce qui aboutit à des émissions plus élevées que pour les forêts naturelles. Ainsi, les plantations d'acacias et d'hévéas ne pouvant capter et d'emmagasiner autant de carbone que les forêts naturelles, elles se traduisent par un crédit-carbone sur le stock de carbone forestier.

En Malasia, el principal proceso de cambio de usos del suelo en terrenos forestales se debe al establecimiento de plantaciones en bosques intervenidos y en áreas utilizadas para cultivos itinerantes. Mientras las reservas de carbono de los bosques naturales han sido foco de muchos estudios, en Malasia existe muy poca información sobre las reservas de carbono en plantaciones de acacia y caucho. Por tanto, este artículo intenta cotejar y analizar conjuntos de datos sobre las existencias totales de carbono de la biomasa aérea de Malasia, en plantaciones de acacia y caucho aplicando el factor de expansión de biomasa para el período de 1990 a 2013. Las plantaciones forestales tienen mayores tasas de crecimiento, y los deshechos de corta y poda son significativamente más grande que en los bosques naturales. Por lo tanto, esto conduce a una mayor emisión en comparación con los bosques naturales. Consecuentemente, las plantaciones de acacia y caucho no fueron capaces de secuestrar y almacenar carbono en la misma cantidad que el bosque natural, dando lugar a créditos de carbono sobre las reservas de carbono forestal.

Keywords: carbon stock, plantations, natural forests, aboveground biomass, Malaysia

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