CARBON CAPTURE IN AERIAL BIOMASS OF SHADE TREES ASSOCIATED WITH Coffea arabica L. IN SOCONUSCO, CHIAPAS, MEXICO

Abstract

The research was carried out in two localities, Ahuacatlán and Agustín de Iturbide, both belonging to the municipality of Cacaohatán, in the region of Soconusco, Chiapas. The objective was to quantitatively evaluate the carbon concentration capacity in the aerial biomass of shade trees associated to Coffea arabica L. In each locality the shade species were identified, as well as the relative density, frequency and importance value index, tree height, distance to chest height (DCH), estimation of carbon and nitrogen content in wood and leaf. The highest relative density of shade trees were presented in Ahuacatlán with dominance of Terminalia amazonia (J. F. Gmel) Exell and Nectandra membranacea (Sw.) Griseb. In Agustín de Iturbide it was Inga micheliana Harms. The estimation of carbon concentration and biomass increased at the dominance site of T. amazonia compared to I. micheliana, and showed a statistical difference (P?0.05). The highest percentage of carbon in all species was found in the wood compared to the leaf, but the increase in nitrogen content was found in the leaves during the rainy season.