Ecological implications of villag bamboo as global climate chang mitigation strategyA case study in Barak Valley, Assam, North East India

摘要

Purpose - The present study seeks to evaluate the role of village bamboo management in the rural landscape of North East India in global climate change mitigation.Design/methodology/approach - A set of 100 home gardens and 40 bamboo groves were selected from Irongmara and Dargakona village, in Cachar district, Assam, North East India through random sampling. Sampling was done mostly for smallholders. Culm growth,carbon storage, carbon sequestration and carbon in litter floor mass and soil of bamboo growing areas in homegarden was explored from 2003-2007.Findings - Culm growth extension revealed the brief periodicity of culm growth in a single growth period. Of the total carbon storage soil contributed 84.6 per cent of the total (50.1 Mg ha~(-1)) followed by carbon in above ground vegetation 15 per cent(9 Mg ha- x) and carbon in litter floor mass 0.4 per cent (0.2Mgha~(-1)).Practical implications - Bamboo plantation development and its management in home gardens has social, ecological and economical benefits for the rural life in North East India and its promotion can become an effective choice for climate change mitigationstrategy.Originality/value - Bamboo forms an important component in the traditional home garden system of North East India where the practice of bamboo cultivation and management provides an important sink for C02. Village bamboos play an important role in localeconomics, societies and environments and, considering its potential to mitigate global climate change, the authors recommend the promotion of bamboo in agroforestry expanding practices and rehabilitation of degraded lands. Management of village bamboosin rural landscape is highlighted in context to environmental sustainability and as a sink measure under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of Kyoto Protocol.