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The bioeconomic potential of monopodial and sympodial bamboos is not well understood. Therefore, Net primary productivity (NPP), total biomass, carbon (C) stock, soil organic carbon (SOC), CO 2 sequestration, and bioenergy potential were studied in a sympodial Chimonocalamus griffithianus and a monopodial Phyllostachys mannii bamboo in Meghalaya, north-eastern India. P. mannii stand with mean culm density 16,877 ha−1, height 14.8 m and diameter 4.4 cm, accumulated 107.56 Mg ha−1 biomass with a total NPP of 18.83 t ha−1yr−1. It stored 50.67 Mg C ha−1 in biomass, 77.28 Mg C ha−1 in soil, and had sequestration potential of 469.58 t CO 2 ha−1. C. griffithianus stand with mean clump density 1065 ha−1, mean culm density 52,185 ha−1, height 7.19 m and diameter 3.04 cm, accumulated 67.08 Mg ha−1 biomass with a total NPP of 15.30 t ha−1 yr−1. It stored 31.30 Mg C ha−1 in biomass, 83.25 Mg C ha−1 in soil, and had sequestration potential of 420.40 t CO 2 ha−1. Matured culms (>2–3 years old) of P. manni and C. griffithianus produced 143.08–166.65 MW h and 87.13–101.48 MW h of energy per ha, respectively. Although landuse history and site characteristics of the two stands were not 100 % identical, significantly greater (p < 0.05) standing biomass, NPP, growth rate, carbon sequestration potential, and energy values of P. mannii than C. griffithianus makes the monopodial bamboo a better choice for energy plantation and climate change mitigation tool than the sympodial. • Monopodial bamboo, Phyllostachys mannii , surpasses sympodial Chimonocalamus griffithianus in bioeconomic potential. • P. mannii exhibits higher biomass, NPP, carbon sequestration, and energy values. • Comparative analysis reveals the superior suitability of monopodial bamboo for energy plantations. • Results provide valuable insights for sustainable development in India's biobased economy. • Study contributes to understanding the role of bamboos in mitigating climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “4 per Thousand” initiative was launched at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in December 2015 to address global climate change through the aspirational goal of increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stock of the world to 40-cm depth by an average annual rate of 4%. Small landholders (SLHs), often faced with difficult bio-physical and socio-economic conditions, are the principal managers of soil in India. There are 117 million SLHs representing 85% of the total operational holdings, cultivating over 72 million ha of land, and meeting 50–60% of India's food requirement. The agricultural soils of SLHs are strongly depleted of SOC and nutrient reserves. Therefore, the challenge of feeding 1.7 billion people in India by 2050 will depend on increasing the current productivity levels by restoring the depleted soils of SLHs. According to our estimates, soils of SLHs currently contain 1370–1770 Tg C and, which can be increased to 2460–2650 Tg C by 2050 through large-scale adoption of best management practices (BMPs) including balanced application of nutrients, compost, agroforestry, and conservation agriculture. A wide spread adoption of these practices can enhance C sequestration by 70–130 Tg CO 2 e per annum and produce 410–440 million Mg of food grains accounting for 80–85% of the total requirement by 2050. In this paper we propose strategies for achieving the dual objectives of advancing food security, the “4 per Thousand” target and mitigating climate change in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue management remains a major problem in the Indian agriculture sector. The in-situ firing of crop residues has been linked to air pollution, global warming, soil fertility decline and others. Biochar conversion through slow pyrolysis could be one of the techniques for the safe disposal of crop residues. 212.04 ± 44.27 MT biochar could be produced from 517.82 MT crop residues in India. Biochar conversion of crop residues can address agriculture production, safe drinking water, livelihood, energy security and environmental protection. Soil amendment with biochar sequestrate about 376.11 ± 78.52 MT CO 2 e carbon and help retain about 1.66 ± 0.46 MT of soil nutrients. Also, crop residues derived biochar has an estimated market value of approximately $500 billion in India. Biochar applications in the cosmetics, pharma and chemical industries offer market and employment opportunities. This review discusses the impact of in-situ crop residue burning and its biochar conversion through slow pyrolysis as part of sustainable crop residue management. Also, biochar applications and socio-economic aspects of crop residues – biochar system has been deliberated to fulfil several sustainable development goals (SDGs). [Display omitted] • Impacts of crop residues in-situ firing in India were quantified and discussed. • Biochar conversion of crop residues for its strategic management was discussed. • Impact of pyrolysis process parameters on biochar yield & properties was reviewed. • Biochar as a conventional & upcoming value-added product was comprehensively analysed. • Crop residues – biochar system for the attainment of SDGs has been mapped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High sediment carbon burial in semi-enclosed mangrove habitat with high NPP. • Low carbon burial in aquaculture converted mangrove habitat. • Biological factors like litterfall and crab density act as primary controls. • Secondary controls were sediment accumulation rates and grain size. Tropical mangrove environments have high carbon sequestration potential and this ecosystem service is currently used in mitigating climate change. However, these environments are declining rapidly in developing countries, diminishing their carbon sequestration potential and may ultimately transforming them as carbon dioxide sources. This study investigated the carbon sequestration potential through sediment burial at three mangrove habitats of Cochin, South-West coast of India. High burial estimates were recorded at two mangrove stations (2.95 ± 0.79–10.41 ± 2.50 t C ha−1 yr−1), but consistent with other tropical mangrove areas. Lower burial rates were estimated at one station (0.57 ± 0.24 t C ha−1 yr−1). Eighty percent of the mangrove net primary productivity through litterfall (NPP L) was stored in the sediment at the station with the highest burial rate, which is demonstrative of a robust carbon sink. However, at a different site, which is subject to aquaculture, only 7.23 % of NPP L was buried in the sediment. A major portion of the fixed carbon at this site is presumably emitted back to the atmosphere or exported to adjacent water bodies. The median total regional mangrove carbon burial rate in this study was 2.95 t C ha−1 yr−1 and the organic carbon burial rate was 1.93 ± 0.75 t C ha−1 yr−1. Biological factors such as mangrove biomass, litterfall and crab density have played a major role in controlling the sediment carbon burial rate. Sediment texture and bulk sediment accumulation acted as secondary controlling factors. The carbon source characterisation in the sediment profile using stable isotope techniques revealed the organic carbon origin as mangrove litter. Gaining a better understanding of carbon sources, burial rates and their controlling factors in mangrove habitats aids in regional climate mitigation efforts and global efforts to increase the carbon sequestration potential of tropical mangrove systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing and conserving carbon pools in vegetation is a major climate change mitigation strategy. The dynamics of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems depend on processes like photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition and combustion, anthropogenic activities like emission of greenhouse gases and climatic variations in rainfall and temperature, and is stored as biomass in different forms. The quantification of biomass is necessary to understand the productivity of forests, carbon sink and source dynamics and recommend ways to aid sequestration through supply side interventions like afforestation and demand side measures that check wood consumption. In this study, carbon sequestration based on the change in total carbon in two different scenarios using Markov chain and InVEST model is evaluated for the years 2000, 2018 and predicted for 2035. The results show that 1.351 Tg carbon has already been lost from 2000 to 2018 in the forest area of Sariska Tiger Reserve and another 0.107 Tg of carbon is expected to be lost in the predicted future, when we compare the land use land cover of the year 2035 with the present scenario. The local communities extract fuelwood by cutting down tree branches illegally, which leads to carbon loss into the atmosphere. The lower release of carbon in 2035 as compared to 2018 is because of forest management practices e.g., plantations done in the range Tehla-Talabberi, Sariska- Ganeshpura, Alwar buffer-Shoydanpura, Talvriksh-Manavaas, Akbarpur-Kalikhol, Ajabgarh-Jatwana. The study shows that the economic value of carbon lost from 2000 to 2018 is million $ 214.57 and if we see the economic value of the predicted year 2035, carbon sequestration is worth million $ 17.19. Outputs demonstrate the potential for restoration/reforestation and afforestation as the most practical carbon loss mitigation strategy and calls for improved access to cleaner energy sources where the renewable energy industry and government may pitch in. Image 1 • Markov chain and InVEST model were used to predict carbon sequestration. • Prediction maps revealed that open forest will be decreased in future. • Total carbon sequestration decreased 1.351 Tg during 2000–18. • It is predicted that −0.107 (Tg) carbon to be sequestered from 2018 to 35. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Productivity parameters of Cedrus deodara forests decreases with altitude. • Biomass and soil carbon of Cedrus deodara forests decreases with altitude. • Litterfall production also decreased with altitude. Carbon inventories are urgently needed for understanding climate dynamics and implementing climate mitigation strategies, but such data is scarce in for forest ecosystem of Himalaya. Therefore, the present study focuses to supplement the existing information by estimating carbon stocks in temperate forests dominated by Cedrus deodara along the altitudinal gradients in the Central Himalaya. Three altitudes i.e., lower (1750 m), middle (1900 m) and upper (2050 m) of the stand was considered to understand and estimate biomass and soil carbon storage potential of the forests based on the standard protocol. The results showed that the soil carbon stock (SOC) decreased significantly with increasing soil depths and altitudes. Litterfall production in the forests varied adversely with altitude. Above and below-ground biomass carbon stock also decreased along with altitude. The study observed that the total carbon stock (soil, trees and forest floor) of the Cedrus deodara forest in different altitudes was 395.4 t ha−1 (lower altitude), 321.6 t ha−1 (middle altitude) and 282.5 t ha−1 (upper altitude). The estimates of the Cedrus forests would provide guidelines for estimating carbon for forest-based mitigation activities in the Himalayan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]