Estimation of Carbon Content in the Páramo Ecosystem of Pasa Population, Ambato Canton, Tungurahua Province

Abstract

Abstract The stored carbon content was determined based on a randomized stratified experimental design by type of vegetation; three sampling units of 400 m 2 each were installed, from 3600–4100 m.s.n.m., with intervals of 150 m of altitude. The inventory of herbaceous vegetation was taken using the GLORIA method. For the sampling of the aerial biomass and necromass in the plot, circular subplots were constructed, and the samples were collected in 4 quadrants of 0.25 m 2 , two in each subplot. Samples of 0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm were taken from the soil profile, and the percentage of organic carbon in the soil and the apparent density were evaluated. The results indicate a floristic diversity represented by 44 species, 39 of herbaceous vegetation and 5 of tree vegetation. The carbon content stored in aerial biomass returned a value of 83.88 tC ha - 1 for herbaceous vegetation and 158.50 tCha - 1 in tree vegetation, and in terms of necromass, returned values of 0.89 tC-ha - 1 and 7.40 tC- ha - 1 , respectively. The carbon stored in the soil at a depth of 20 cm is 111.84 tC- ha - 1 for herbaceous vegetation and 122.45 tC- ha - 1 for tree vegetation.

Keywords

• ecosystem, paramo, tree vegetation, carbon, biomass.