Estimation of aboveground biomass and carbon stocks in different agro-climatic zones of Manipur using GIS and remote sensing

A study was conducted to estimate the aboveground biomass and carbon pools in different agro-climatic zones of Manipur, NE India using satellite images combined with field data. DBH (diameter at breast height) and height of all trees > 10 cm in sample plots were measured. Estimation of herbs and shrubs biomass was done through harvest method. Previously developed relevant allometric equations were used to estimate biomass using DBH of each species present in all the plots. The relationship between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and forest stands biomass showed considerable significance for estimating the forest carbon stocks. The ability of NDVI to capture structural differences in canopy greenness, particularly during the winter season when understory interference is minimal, is highlighted by the NDVI–AGB exponential relationship (R² = 0.705). NDVI–AGB classes allow for remote biomass zone classification, differentiating between vegetation structures from degraded forests (NDVI < 0.45) to temperate forests (NDVI > 0.70). The spectral model helps in reliable carbon accounting and highlights the necessity of community-based management and zonal restoration techniques in areas where NDVI signals show ongoing low biomass conditions by estimating forest carbon stocks. Aboveground biomass and carbon map were prepared through spectral modelling which could be used to predict the distribution of forest biomass. Maximum estimated carbon density in subtropical pine zone emphasize the importance of pine forest in capturing large amount of carbon in forests of Manipur..Enhanced vegetation indices (EVI) were suggested for future research due to NDVI's saturation effects in dense forests.