Bacteria-rich soil at Kaziranga may be hindering it from acting as carbon sink

Photosynthesis -- a biological process in which plants absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide and release oxygen with the help of adequate sunlight -- was getting affected in this park, located in a heavy rainfall zone of the country.

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"The park was found to release higher amounts of carbon dioxide. This is unusual and was happening because of its soil containing high bacteria, aiding a process known as heterotrophic respiration," said the researchers.

A STUDY led by scientists from the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) has found that the nature of the soil at Kaziranga National Park in Assam could be making the park release higher amounts of carbon dioxide than what it is absorbing.

Photosynthesis — a biological process in which plants absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide and release oxygen with the help of adequate sunlight — was getting affected in this park, located in a heavy rainfall zone of the country. “The park was found to release higher amounts of carbon dioxide. This is unusual and was happening because of its soil containing high bacteria, aiding a process known as heterotrophic respiration,” said the researchers.

The study, conducted jointly with researchers from Tezpur University, was carried out using data gathered from specialised sensors and equipments installed on a meteorological tower as part of the MetFlux India project going on since 2015.

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The aim of the project is to track carbon movement processes in the deciduous forests of the northeast India regions.

The forest in the national park performed the maximum absorption of carbon dioxide from March to May, the pre-monsoon months, when the region experiences moderate rainfall and ample sunny days. Being a heavy rainfall-receiving region of India, the monsoon season sees several cloud-covered days that directly affect photosynthesis, and thus carbon dioxide absorption.

Between July and December, respiration remains higher around the national park, indicating that the forest here may not be acting as a carbon sink. It confirms that a larger amount of carbon dioxide was getting released than the total amount absorbed, stated the study published in Climate and Atmospheric Science of Nature.

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