## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Carbon Sinks in Bamboo Forest Ecosystems  
#### 3.1.1 Bamboo as a Carbon Sink  
Bamboo is a fast-growing species with high annual regrowth after harvesting. This unique nature of bamboo accounts for its strong biomass accumulating capacity: carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is transformed into biomass via photosynthesis, increasing the carbon sink capacity of the bamboo ecosystem, especially for bamboo during the early growth period [28; 29]. A typical bamboo shoot grows into full culm height within two to four months at a maximum rate of 90-120 cm per day; after this time, branches emerge, and the culm diameter and height remain constant afterward [18]. In the following years, the bamboo culm continues to sequester carbon dioxide for up to seven years, and after harvest, the corresponding belowground biomass can survive and keep contributing to the carbon sink [18]. Additionally, the litter biomass, including leaf, sheath, and branch parts, together with the soil, can store a significant amount of carbon, increase soil fertility, prevent land degradation, and enhance bamboo productivity, resulting in sizable biomass accumulation in a positive feedback mechanism [30]. Most of the studies highlight that bamboo species generally act as carbon sinks rather than carbon sources, with different seasonal variations reported in the literature. Lei bamboo forest (_Phylostachys violascens_) serves as a carbon sink throughout most of the year [31]; this pattern is quite different from temperate and boreal forests that are carbon sources during the nongrowing season [32]. From the perspective of diurnal variations, Lei bamboo and Moso bamboo forests serve as carbon sinks during most daytime periods [32]. In addition, the interval between each harvest activity is relatively short. Compared with  
Figure 4: Coding framework created in NVivo software 12.  
most timber species that have a harvest interval of 10 to 50 years, the interval for bamboo is between three and five years [33]. Using a selective harvest approach, Moso bamboo can be harvested every two years [34], and bamboo in some village landscapes can be felled yearly [35]. Bamboo can be a unique carbon storage resource that exceeds many other woody crops as long as annual selective harvesting does not damage total carbon sequestration and the ecosystem [36]. Numerous studies have investigated the carbon fixation ability of various bamboo species worldwide by analyzing the carbon sequestration rate (CSR) (Table 2), net ecosystem production (NEP) (Table 3), bamboo forest biomass (Table 4), and bamboo forest carbon storage (Table 5). Although the numbers may differ across several orders of magnitude due to different forest conditions, management practices, study designs, and species productivity, they all illustrate that bamboo forest ecosystems have significant potential for mitigating climate change. The CSR and NEP are similar indicators, measuring the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered in a bamboo forest ecosystem for the unit area and unit time. [PERSON] et al. [42] investigated eight symodial bamboo species in China on the national scale; by including carbon sequestration from the soil, litter, and vegetation, they found the CSR could be as high as 70.11 \(\text{tCO}_{2}/\text{ha}/\text{yr}\) (_Dendrocalanus giganteus_). Regarding the carbon stored in phytolith (PhytOC), specifically, Phylostachys violascens can store only 0.29 tons of \(\text{CO}_{2}\) per hectare annually; however, with intensive management techniques like mulching and fertilization, PhytoC storage can be significantly enhanced [38]. Interestingly, a Moso bamboo forest with regular harvesting activities and management for 60 years was projected to sequester 18.69 \(\text{tCO}_{2}/\text{ha}/\text{yr}\)[5]. Comparatively, during the first five years of plantation, another Moso bamboo forest could only sequester 1.86 \(\text{tCO}_{2}/\text{ha}/\text{yr}\)[43]. In Assam, India, [PERSON] et al. [40] developed allometric scaling models and estimated