Comparative Analysis of Bamboo Growth and Carbon Sequestration Across Major Forest Types in Cambodia

Abstract

This study investigated bamboo growth and carbon sequestration across three major forest types in Cambodia: deciduous, evergreen, and semi-evergreen forests. Structural attributes (diameter, height, clump size, stem density, and mortality) and biomass-related variables (volume, carbon (Mg ha⁻¹), and CO₂ (Mg ha⁻¹)) were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA). Results revealed significant variation among forest types. Bamboo in deciduous forests exhibited the largest mean diameter (5.03 cm) and highest median volume (17 m³), contributing to greater but variable carbon stocks (median ≈ 8 Mg ha⁻¹; range = 3–15). Evergreen forests displayed moderate and more stable growth, with average diameters of 4.18 cm, volumes around 11 m³, and carbon stocks between 4–6 Mg ha⁻¹. Semi-evergreen forests were dominated by smaller bamboo clumps (mean diameter = 2.97 cm; median volume ≈ 8 m³) and consistently lower carbon accumulation (median ≈ 4 Mg ha⁻¹), though occasional tall outliers (> 20 m) were recorded. Correlation analysis showed strong positive relationships between diameter, volume, and carbon/CO₂ stocks (r = 0.50–1.00), whereas clump density and dead stems were only weakly associated with biomass. PCA indicated that PC1 (46.5%) represented size and biomass gradients, while PC2 (21.7%) captured height and mortality, together explaining 68.2% of total variation. Overall, the findings demonstrate that forest type strongly influences bamboo structural growth and carbon storage, with deciduous forests holding the highest potential for carbon sequestration, followed by evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.