Carbon stock options to mitigate climate change have become a significant area of interest as every possible way to address this global issue is being explored. Afforestation and ecosystem restoration activities are widely adopted to improve the potential of the land in carbon storage. The Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change proposed the ‘Trees outside forests (Tof)’ as an effective mechanism to mitigate climate change. Due to its discrete distribution and non‐uniformity, there are fewer attempts to measure the potential of these systems. Palakkad district of Kerala has a discrete climate due to the Palaghat gap and the absence of a coastal line. The district also has a major population depending on agriculture. This study tried to determine and compare the carbon (C) stock potential of the three ‘Trees outside forest (Tof)’ conditions prevailing in the Palakkad district, Kerala. The carbon stock by standing biomass and soil of four sites of undisturbed natural vegetation, monoculture plantation, and home garden were estimated using allometric equations and computations. The natural vegetation was found to have a higher carbon stock potential (238.58 Mg ha−1) compared with monoculture plantation (166.23 Mg ha−1) and human habitat (74.87 Mg ha−1). Also, natural vegetation's soil organic carbon content was much higher than monoculture plantations and home gardens. The study also estimated the soil deterioration index of each land use compared with the natural vegetation and barren land. The results of the study suggested that land use has a great influence on soil quality and carbon stock potential. Proper management of these Tof systems can enhance their productivity and contribute accountable support towards mitigating climate change.

中文翻译：

---

喀拉拉邦 Palakkad 区不同“林外树木”系统的碳储量潜力比较：缓解气候变化的一步


缓解气候变化的碳储量选择已成为一个重要的关注领域，因为正在探索解决这一全球问题的所有可能方法。植树造林和生态系统恢复活动被广泛采用，以提高土地的碳储存潜力。喀拉拉邦气候变化行动计划提出了“森林外的树木 （Tof）”作为缓解气候变化的有效机制。由于其离散分布和不均匀性，测量这些系统潜力的尝试较少。喀拉拉邦的 Palakkad 区由于 Palaghat 缺口和没有海岸线，气候离散。该地区还拥有大量依赖农业的人口。本研究试图确定和比较喀拉拉邦 Palakkad 区普遍存在的三种“林外树木 （Tof）”条件的碳 （C） 储量潜力。使用异速生长方程和计算估计了四个未受干扰的自然植被、单一种植园和家庭花园的站立生物量和土壤的碳储量。发现自然植被具有更高的碳储量潜力 （238.58 Mg ha-1） 与单一种植园 （166.23 Mg ha-1） 和人类栖息地 （74.87 Mg ha-1） 相比。此外，自然植被的土壤有机碳含量远高于单一种植园和家庭花园。该研究还估计了与自然植被和贫瘠土地相比，每种土地利用的土壤恶化指数。研究结果表明，土地利用对土壤质量和碳储量潜力有很大影响。妥善管理这些 Tof 系统可以提高他们的生产力，并为缓解气候变化提供负责任的支持。