An assessment of changes in biomass carbon stocks in tree crops and forests in Malaysia

This study assesses changes in the biomass carbon stocks of forests and tree crops in Malaysia during the period 1981 to 2000; a time of rapid expansion in oil palm cultivation. Peninsular Malaysia and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak are considered separately. Changes in the planted areas of oil palm, other tree crops (rubber, cocoa, coconut) and forests are presented, as are changes in the total biomass of each vegetation type as estimated from the product of area and biomass density. Although oil palm area increased progressively in all three regions, total forest plus tree crop area was reduced in 2000 compared with 1980 by 0.87 million ha, thus perpetuating a historical trend. The decline was gradual in Peninsular Malaysia but more erratic in the East Malaysian states. The effect of various assumptions on the outcomes of the analysis and the implications for carbon emissions and total carbon balance are discussed, and the contribution of oil palm in reducing potential carbon emissions is evaluated.