FORESTS CARBON INPUT AND CHANGES IN SOIL PROPERTIES OF THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST, MALAYSIA

Abstract

The tropical forest ecosystem plays a critical role in the forest carbon input and it is important to understand the rate of occurrences by quantifying the forest biomass and its effect on soil properties in relation to microclimate condition and environmental factors. The study was conducted in the tropical forest ecosystem of Malaysia with the aim to estimate the forest carbon input and its effects on changes in soil properties The Malaysia lowland tropical forest was found to be a carbon sink with an accumulation rate of total above ground biomass (TAGB), below ground biomass (BGB) and total forest carbon (SOCs) of 2788.64 to 3009.97, 100.88 to 134.94 and 2996.13 to 3088.98 mg ha-1 respectively and varied between February and September and October and January. The soil properties; total organic carbon (TOC), soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil carbon stock (SOCstock) varied in relation to forest biomass at a ranges of 1.1 to 3.0, 1.1 to 5.89 and 58.01 to 70.46 mg ha-1, respectively. The forest biomass gradually increases over time and also influences the concentration and increase in soil properties influences environmental factors responsible for physiological activity. The multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation indicated a strong positive correlation (R2=0.98, p<0.01) between forest biomass, soil properties and environmental factors. The tropical lowland forest of Malaysia indicated increase in the forest biomass over time and significantly influenced the concentration of soil properties.