Carbon storage and sequestration potential of aboveground biomass of African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in three plantation sites in Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines

Florencia Pulhin; Aileen Simondac-Peria

Florencia B. Pulhin Forestry Development Center, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños
Aileen C. Simondac-Peria Office of the Coordinator for Research, Extension, and Linkages, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños

Keywords: biomass density, carbon density, climate change, climate change mitigation

Abstract

Despite its potential role in mitigating climate change, there is very limited study on assessing carbon storage and sequestration of African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in the Philippines. To address this gap, the ability of African oil palm to store carbon was studied by sampling four palms each from 6-, 10-, 15-, 17.5-, and 30-year-old plantations in three study sites in Visayas and Mindanao and compared with the biomass and carbon densities of grasslands in Visayas. Results showed that biomass densities of African oil palms in Bohol and Sultan Kudarat were 68.06 Mg ha^–1 and 61.18 Mg ha^–1 , respectively. The biomass mean annual increment (MAI) of African oil palm in Bohol is 7.63 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 while that for Sultan Kudarat was 2.95 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 . Across all ages and sites, African oil palms have average biomass density of 63.93 Mg ha^–1 and biomass MAI of 4.82 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 . The trunk contributes the largest percent (59%) to its total biomass. Considering all the oil palms in both sites , the average carbon density of African oil palms studied was 28.77 Mg ha^–1 and carbon MAI of 2.17 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 . Biomass and carbon densities of grasslands were 23.69 Mg ha^–1 and 10.66 Mg ha^–1 , respectively. Using carbon densities of African oil palm and grassland, carbon storage potential of the two ecosystems were projected. Results showed that a hectare of grassland when planted with African oil palm can store 39.90 Mg–102.90 Mg of carbon after 30 years. If the same area is left to be covered with grassland however, carbon storage remains constant at 10.66 Mg from year 1 to year 30 because grassland has zero rate of sequestration. Considering the potential of African oil palm to contribute to climate change mitigation, it is suggested that the government encourage development of grasslands and open barren lands into African oil palm plantation through provision of technical assistance, low interest loans, and tax incentives.