Life cycle assessment and carbon balance of eucalyptus and bamboo plantations in Semi-Arid, India

Global warming is a serious challenge to sustainable development, whereby appropriate measures should be put in place to reduce increasing CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere. Plantation forestry is a scalable strategy of carbon (C) sequestration; nevertheless, its actual mitigation capacity lies in the C-storage and life cycle emissions. This study measured the C-sequestration potential (CSP) and the carbon footprint (CF) of eucalyptus and bamboo plantations managed by the Telangana State Forest Development Corporation across three divisions, Kothagudem, Paloncha, and Sathupalli in Telangana, India. We determined biomass, C-stocks, and C-gains using a life cycle assessment (LCA) framework that includes nursery activities, chemical inputs, and machinery utilization. Species-specific allometric equations based on tree girth and height were employed for biomass estimation. There was a significant spatial variation, and the highest eucalyptus biomass (54.81 Mg ha^-1) was recorded in Sathupalli. On average, eucalyptus demonstrated significantly greater biomass (38.16 Mg ha^-1), soil C-stock (16.8 Mg ha^-1), and total C-stock (34.76 Mg ha^-1) than bamboo, reflecting its faster growth and higher per-tree biomass. Strong allometric relationships, especially between eucalyptus girth and tree C (R² = 0.77, p < 0.01), confirmed the reliability of non-destructive C-estimation models. Soil properties also varied across divisions, with bamboo-associated sites exhibiting better fertility. Eucalyptus had a higher CO₂ assimilation potential than bamboo (128 vs. 69 Mg ha^-1) and larger net C-gain (10.9 vs. 2.1 Mg ha^-1). These results underscore the mitigating and ecosystem services of eucalyptus and bamboo, which could be included in the carbon policies and emerging carbon markets as complementary.