Estimation of Carbon Content in the Páramo Ecosystem of Pasa Population, Ambato Canton, Tungurahua Province

The stored carbon content was determined based on a randomized stratified experimental design by type of vegetation; three sampling units of 400 m2 each were installed, from 3600–4100 m.s.n.m., with intervals of 150 m of altitude. The inventory of herbaceous vegetation was taken using the GLORIA method. For the sampling of the aerial biomass and necromass in the plot, circular subplots were constructed, and the samples were collected in 4 quadrants of 0.25 m2, two in each subplot. Samples of 0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm were taken from the soil profile, and the percentage of organic carbon in the soil and the apparent density were evaluated. The results indicate a floristic diversity represented by 44 species, 39 of herbaceous vegetation and 5 of tree vegetation. The carbon content stored in aerial biomass returned a value of 83.88 tC⋅ha−1 for herbaceous vegetation and 158.50 tC⋅ha−1 in tree vegetation, and in terms of necromass, returned values of 0.89 tC-ha−1 and 7.40 tC-ha−1, respectively. The carbon stored in the soil at a depth of 20 cm is 111.84 tC- ha−1 for herbaceous vegetation and 122.45 tC-ha−1 for tree vegetation. Keywords: ecosystem, paramo, tree vegetation, carbon, biomass. Resumen Se determino el contenido de carbono almacenado en base a un diseno experimental estratificado al azar por tipo de vegetacion, se instalaron tres unidades de muestreo de 400 m2 cada una, a partir de 3600–4100 m.s.n.m; con intervalos de 150 m de altitud. El inventario de la vegetacion herbacea mediante el metodo GLORIA, Para el muestreo de la biomasa aerea y necromasa en la parcela se anidaron subparcelas circulares, se recolecto las muestras en 4 cuadrantes de 0.25m2 dos en cada subparcela. En el comportamiento suelo se tomaron muestras de 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm y de 40–60 cm, se evaluo el porcentaje de carbono organico en el suelo y la densidad aparente. Los resultados indican una diversidad floristica representada por 44 especies, 39 de la vegetacion herbacea y 5 de la vegetacion arborea. El contenido de carbono almacenado en la biomasa aerea reporto un valor de 83,88 tC⋅ha−1 para vegetacion herbacea y de 158,50 tC⋅ha−1 en la vegetacion arborea, en cuanto a necromasa con valores de 0,89 tC-ha−1 y de 7,40 tC-ha−1 respectivamente. El carbono almacenado en el suelo a 20 cm de profundidad es de 111.84 tC-ha−1 la vegetacion herbacea y de 122,45 tC-ha−1 para la vegetacion arborea. Palabras clave: ecosistema, paramo, vegetacion arborea, carbono, biomasa.