Carbon Stock Sequestered in the phytocenosis of oak forests in Georgia

Abstract

Georgian oak (Quercus iberica Stev.) is basically prevailed in moderately warm and dry climate zones of Eastern Georgia. Georgian oak naturally grows at elevations of 500–1000 m above sea level, it can reach 1400 m on the southern exposure slopes. Oak forests in Georgia are presented in the form of single and mixed stands. In total, in the living biomass of oak forests of Georgia 10,324 Tg C are accumulated, 7765 Tg C (75.2%) of this amount accounts for the aboveground biomass, and 2559 Tg C (24.8%) for the belowground biomass. 0.616 Tg of carbon are accumulated in the dead standing trees and fallen deadwood of the oak forests. The carbon stock per unit area attains to 2.48 t/ha. Forest dead cover - 0,637 Tg C (2.6 t/ha). Soil - 23,480 Tg C (94.6 t/ha). In the oak dominated forests of Georgia 35.06 Tg C are accumulated that correspond to 128.6 Tg CO₂, absorbed from the atmosphere. In the process of air exchange, oak dominated forests spread in Georgia on 248313 ha annually absorb from the atmosphere 565 Gg CO₂ on average and release in the atmosphere 438 Gg O₂.