Carbon stock and sequestration potential of Ibodi monkey forest in Atakumosa, Osun state, Nigeria

Carbon Sequestration in Soils of Latin America

The study was conducted to assess carbon (C) stock potential in forest, reforestation and agricultural land-use types and reliably estimate the impact of land use on C stocks in Nam Yao sub-watershed (19degree05'10"N, 100degree37'02"E), Nan province, Thailand.The carbon stocks of aboveground, litter, belowground, and soil organic carbon within forest, reforestation and agricultural land were estimated through field data collection. Results revealed that total carbon stock of forests was significantly greater than the reforestation and the agricultural land (P < 0.05). In the forest, total carbon stock of hill evergreen forest was the greatest (398.43 +- 25.16 Mg C ha[superscript-1]), followed by aboveground carbon, litter carbon, belowground carbon, and soil organic carbon as of 150.07 +- 12.58, 6.86 +- 0.58, 19.56 +- 0.20 and 221.94 +- 1.66 Mg C ha[superscript-1], respectively. In the reforestation, total carbon stock of the 26-year-old reforestation was the greatest (205.67 +- 10.33 Mg C ha[superscript-1]), followed by aboveground carbon, litter carbon, belowground carbon, and soil organic carbon as of 40.70 +- 6.36, 2.22 +- 0.13, 11.14 +- 0.18 and 151.61 +- 3.66 Mg C ha[superscript-1], respectively. In agricultural land, total carbon stock of the 6-year-old fallow land was the greatest (120.21 2.43 Mg C ha[superscript-1]), followed by aboveground carbon, litter carbon, belowground carbon, and soil organic carbon as of 5.91 +- 1.21, 0.15 +- 0.01, 1.01 +- 0.07 and 113.14 +- 2.26 Mg C ha[superscript-1], respectively. Internal comparison of the average total aboveground carbon : total belowground carbon : soil organic carbon ratios (TAGC : TBGC : SOC), was 7:1:12, 3:1:14 and 6:1:106 for the forest, the reforestation and the agricultural land, respectively. This study found that land-use changes and/or land management practices resulted in carbon stocks losses, especially, aboveground carbon and soil carbon. The aboveground carbon pool is highly responsive to land-use changes while the soil organic carbon is more resistant than other pools. Results indicated that significant carbon stocks can occur in forest ecosystem conservation, restoration and reforestation.It is important for decreasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and climate change.

Although Africa is not a major emitter of greenhouse gases from commercial and industrial energy uses, it accounts about 20–30% of emission due to deforestation and land use cover change. This study was conducted to estimate the carbon stock and its contribution to climate change disaster reduction in Zeghie peninsula, Ethiopia. Sample plots were laid along line transects based on altitudinal and slope variation of the study area. A total of 45 plots (40 m × 40 m each) were selected using random sampling techniques. The data obtained from each sample were analyzed by using allometric equations. The results revealed that the mean total carbon stock was 381.41 t/ha, of which 191.58 t/ha, 45.98 t/ha, 0.03 t/ha, 139.04 t/ha and 4.77 t/ha, which were observed in the aboveground carbon, belowground carbon, litter carbon, soil organic carbon in (30 cm depth) and deadwood carbon, respectively. The mean total CO2 equivalent of the study area was also 1399.78 t/ha. In relation to altitudinal gradients and slopes, the result showed that the stock of carbon was variable along the altitudinal variation with a mean value of 420.71t/ha, 458.78t/ha and 516.77t/ha in upper, middle and lower elevations, respectively. While a mean value of carbon along the slope gradient was 401.82t/ha, 439.26t/ha and 516.9t/ha in upper, medium and lower slope classes, respectively. Generally, the carbon stocks in aboveground, belowground, litter and soil organic carbon were exhibited less distinct patterns along altitudinal gradients. The aboveground, belowground, litter and soil organic carbon stocks showed decreasing trend with increasing altitude and slope while dead wood carbon stock showed increasing trend along altitudinal gradients. The total CO2 stored in Zeghie peninsula forestland was approximately 62,990.4 tons annually, but emission was estimated to be 8274.97 tons. Therefore, better management strategies should be designed for the sustainable use of forest resources in the study area which are contributing a significant role to mitigate the current climate change.

Abstract. Hatta SM, Salleh E, Suhaili NS, Besar NA. 2022. Estimation of carbon pool at mangrove forest of Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia. Biodiversitas 23: 4601-4608. Mangroves play a significant role in reducing tropical carbon emissions and preventing climate change. This study was carried out in Kudat's Tun Mustapha Park mangrove forest. This research aims to quantify the aboveground, belowground, and soil carbon pools. Nine 125-meter-long transect lines were set up, and every 25 meters, a 7-meter-diameter circle was placed. A forest inventory was conducted to determine the diameter at the breast height of standing trees. For soil analysis and bulk density, soil samples were collected at four different depths (0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, 30-50 cm, and 50-100 cm). An ICP-OES analyzer was used to determine the value of soil nutrients, and a CHNS analyzer was used to determine the soil carbon concentration. The aboveground and belowground biomass was calculated using the allometric equation, and the carbon stock was estimated at 50% of the total biomass. The outcome showed a 455.87 MgCha-1 total carbon pool. The soil carbon has the highest value with 273.76 MgCha-1, followed by aboveground carbon (living trees) with 136.58 MgCha-1 and belowground carbon (roots) with 45.53 MgCha-1. This study found that soil carbon stock made up almost 60% of the total carbon stock in the mangrove forest.

Soil contains good amount of carbon stock. The amount of carbon stock depends on soil texture, climatic parameters, vegetation, land-use pattern, and soil moisture. The study has been conducted at four sites in the recreational and natural forests in India. The main objective of this study is to estimate the soil carbon stock and soil respiration rate of recreational and natural forests in plain land in eastern India. At Banobitan – a recreational forest, soil was slightly alkaline; moisture content ranged between 7.26% and 9.74%, and soil texture was sandy loam. Total carbon and soil organic carbon (SOC) ranged from 24.2 to 36.5 and 2.8–8.3 g/kg, respectively. At Indian Botanic Garden – a recreational forest, soil was slightly acidic in nature; moisture content varied between 16.2% and 21.7%, and soil texture was clayey loam. Total carbon and soil organic carbon in the soil varied between 58 and 80.1 and 8.3 and 12.6 g/kg, respectively. At Chandra – a natural forest, soil was slightly acidic in nature; moisture content ranged between 3.2% and 11.4%, and soil texture was sandy loam. Total carbon and soil organic carbon ranged from 15 to 23.2 and 1.4–1.5 g/kg, respectively. At Chilapata forest – a natural forest, soil was slightly acidic in nature; moisture content varied between 22.1% and 26.0% and soil texture was loamy. Total carbon and soil organic carbon in the soil varied between 45.7 and 62.5 and 7.4 and 12.8 g/kg, respectively. Estimated mean soil total carbon and mean soil organic carbon stock at Banobitan, Indian Botanic Garden, Chandra, and Chilapata forests were 43.70 and 7.99, 96.32 and 14.57, 27.31 and 2.07, and 75.52 and 13.73 Mg C/ha, respectively. Estimated annual soil respiration rates of Banobitan, Indian Botanic Garden, Chandra, and Chilapata were 2.07, 3.34, 0.61, and 4.18 t C/ha/year, respectively.

The role of forests in mitigating the effect of climate change depends on the carbon sequestration potential and management. This study was conducted to estimate the carbon stock and its variation along environmental gradients in Arba Minch Ground Water Forest. The data was collected from the field by measuring plants with a DBH of >5cm in quadrat plots of 10 X 20 m and the carbon stocks of each plant were analyzed by using allometric equations. From this study the mean total carbon stock density of Arba Minch Ground Water Forest was found to be 583.27 t ha-1, of which 829.12 t ha-1, 165.88 t ha-1, 1.28 t ha-1, 83.80 t ha-1 was contained in the above ground carbon, belowground carbon, litter carbon and soil organic carbon (0-30 cm depth) 0respectively. Similarly, the analysis of carbon stock variation of different carbon pools on eight different aspects of the forest area showed a significant variation with the exception of litter carbon stock and this is due to fast decomposition rate of litters and low amount of litter fall in the forest. The amount of carbon stock in above and belowground biomass, soil organic carbon and the total carbon stock was higher on the southern aspect as compared to other aspects. This study concluded that the carbon stock value of Arba Minch Ground Water Forest is large, and this will serve as a potential entry point for the engagement of the forest in REDD project. Keywords : Environmental variables; Ground Water Forest; Climate change; Biomass; Forest carbon stock

Abstract. The carbon sequestration potential in coastal soils is linked to aboveground and belowground plant productivity and biomass, which in turn, is directly and indirectly influenced by nutrient input. We evaluated the influence of long-term and near-term nutrient input on aboveground and belowground carbon accumulation in seagrass beds, using a nutrient enrichment (nitrogen and phosphorus) experiment embedded within a naturally occurring, long-term gradient of phosphorus availability within Florida Bay (USA). We measured organic carbon stocks in soils and above- and belowground seagrass biomass after 17 months of experimental nutrient addition. At the nutrient-limited sites, phosphorus addition increased the carbon stock in aboveground seagrass biomass by more than 300 %; belowground seagrass carbon stock increased by 50–100 %. Soil carbon content slightly decreased ( ∼ 10 %) in response to phosphorus addition. There was a strong but non-linear relationship between soil carbon and Thalassia testudinum leaf nitrogen : phosphorus (N : P) or belowground seagrass carbon stock. When seagrass leaf N : P exceeded an approximate threshold of 75 : 1, or when belowground seagrass carbon stock was less than 100 g m−2, there was less than 3 % organic carbon in the sediment. Despite the marked difference in soil carbon between phosphorus-limited and phosphorus-replete areas of Florida Bay, all areas of the bay had relatively high soil carbon stocks near or above the global median of 1.8 % organic carbon. The relatively high carbon content in the soils indicates that seagrass beds have extremely high carbon storage potential, even in nutrient-limited areas with low biomass or productivity.

Forests are important ecosystems that are under increasing pressure from human use and environmental change, and have a significant ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and are therefore the focus of policy efforts aimed at reducing deforestation and degradation as well as increasing afforestation and reforestation for climate mitigation. Critical to these efforts is the accurate monitoring, reporting and verification of current forest cover and carbon stocks. For planning, the additional step of modeling is required to quantitatively estimate forest carbon sequestration potential in response to alternative land-use and management decisions. To be most useful and of decision-relevant quality, these model estimates must be at very high spatial resolution and with very high accuracy to capture important heterogeneity on the land surface and connect to monitoring efforts. Here, we present results from a new forest carbon monitoring and modeling system that combines high-resolution remote sensing, field data, and ecological modeling to estimate contemporary above-ground forest carbon stocks, and project future forest carbon sequestration potential for the state of Maryland at 90 m resolution. Statewide, the contemporary above-ground carbon stock was estimated to be 110.8 Tg C (100.3–125.8 Tg C), with a corresponding mean above-ground biomass density of 103.7 Mg ha−1 which was within 2% of independent empirically-based estimates. The forest above-ground carbon sequestration potential for the state was estimated to be much larger at 314.8 Tg C, and the forest above-ground carbon sequestration potential gap (i.e. potential-current) was estimated to be 204.1 Tg C, nearly double the current stock. These results imply a large statewide potential for future carbon sequestration from afforestation and reforestation activities. The high spatial resolution of the model estimates underpinning these totals demonstrate important heterogeneity across the state and can inform prioritization of actual afforestation/reforestation opportunities. With this approach, it is now possible to quantify both the forest carbon stock and future carbon sequestration potential over large policy relevant areas with sufficient accuracy and spatial resolution to significantly advance planning.

Himalayan forests are crucial global carbon reservoirs that contribute significantly to carbon mitigation efforts. Although situated within a single climatic zone, Himalayan forests include diverse forest types within a short distance due to variations in altitude, mountain range, slope, and aspect. This study aimed to estimate ecosystem carbon storage (including plant biomass, deadwood, litter, and soil organic carbon [SOC]) and allocation and to evaluate carbon sequestration and carbon credit potential in chir-pine plants (Pinus roxburghii Sarg.), deodar (Cedrus deodara [Roxb.] G. Don), oak (Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus), and sal (Shorea robusta [Roth]) forests in the central Himalaya. Volumetric equations were utilized across diverse tree species and supplemented by field sampling, particularly by employing the quadrat method to quantify tree biomass. The carbon stocks within ecosystems varied considerably, ranging between 122.44 and 306.44 Mg C ha−1, with discernible differences among forest types, with oak forests exhibiting the highest carbon stock, followed by deodar and sal forests, and pine forests showing the lowest. The allocation of ecosystem carbon stocks among the different components, including trees (21%–34%), soil (64%–77%), deadwood (0.9%–0.35%), and litter (0.46%–1.20%), demonstrated significant variability. The Mantel test revealed the significant influence of environmental factors on carbon storage. Carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration ranged from 448.98 (pine forest) to 1123.16 (oak forest) Mg CO2 ha−1, while carbon credit values ranged from 1346.96 EUR ha−1 (pine forests) to 3379.49 EUR ha−1 (oak forest). In this study, dominant trees in various forest types contributed to higher carbon storage in their biomass and forest soil, resulting in greater carbon credits. The present research evaluated ecosystem carbon storage, CO2 sequestration potential, and carbon credit valuation for major forests in the central Himalaya. By incorporating these findings into forest management plans and strategies, the carbon sequestration potential and carbon trading of the central Himalayan forest ecosystem in India can be enhanced.

Carbon sequestration potential in croplands in Lesotho

Carbon storage and carbon sequestration potential under the Grain for Green Program in Henan Province, China

Carbon sequestration potentials of semi-arid rangelands under traditional management practices in Borana, Southern Ethiopia

Carbon sequestration significantly aids in mitigating climate change, with its spatial distribution greatly influenced by topographical factors. However, data on organic carbon distribution and its interaction with topographic factors inside the forest of the Far Western Region of Nepal are limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyze forest carbon stock variation under different topographic variables (physiographic region, aspect, and slope) in Far-western Nepal. In this study, stratified systematic cluster sampling was adopted with elevation, aspect, and slope as strata. A total of 181 circular plots were used for dendrometric measurements and soil sample collection. Within each plot, diameter at breast height and height of each tree (diameter at breast height ≥ 5 cm) were measured for biomass carbon assessment. Composite soil samples (0-30 cm) from each soil pit within a plot were collected for determining soil organic carbon stock. Physiographic region-wise, our study reported the highest mean aboveground carbon (174.04 ± 29.75 ton ha-1) and belowground carbon (34.044 ± 5.95 ton ha-1) and soil organic carbon stock (150.62 ± 11.02 ton ha-1) in the Mountain and High Himal region. The East aspect exhibited the highest aboveground carbon (125.9 ± 22.34 ton ha-1) and belowground carbon (27.54 ± 3.44 ton ha-1) stocks, while the North aspect showed the highest soil organic carbon stock (96.85 ± 8.82 ton ha-1). Organic carbon stocks declined with steeper slopes, with the (0-10)° slope category recording the highest aboveground organic carbon (135.17 ± 17.87 ton ha-1), belowground carbon (27.03 ± 3.57 ton ha-1), and soil organic carbon (107.14 ± 12.51 ton ha-1) stocks. Conversely, the (30-40)° slope category exhibited the lowest organic carbon stocks across all pools. This study's findings will support accurate monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) processes for initiatives like reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) and enhance credibility on United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting on a national scale. The design and application of site-specific management activities to optimize organic carbon storage are recommended due to the observed variability of organic carbon stock with topographic factors.

Mangrove forests provide a variety of ecosystem services, and among them, the ability to sequester large quantities of below-ground carbon reservoirs is considered the most critical service for mitigating climate change. Therefore, most mangrove studies are highly concerned with estimating ecosystem carbon stocks, while only a few studies have focused on the factors driving these carbon stocks. Thus, we examined the role of stand structure, species diversity, and functional traits on above-ground, below-ground, and total carbon stocks using data from 28 sample plots from the low salinity zone of the Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh. We also aimed to understand the distribution patterns of carbon stocks among different components of the ecosystem, such as above-ground, below-ground soil, and roots. The study results revealed that tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and basal area were highly correlated with both above-ground (AGC) and below-ground carbon (BGC, incuding soil carbon at 0–50 cm depth) stocks. Multiple regression models indicated that tree height and basal area were two significant positive predictors for AGC, BGC and total carbon stocks (TCS) (p < 0.05). Species richness and community-weighted mean wood density were significant positive predictors for BGC and TCS. In contrast, Simpson diversity and community-weighted mean specific leaf area negatively influenced BGC. Furthermore, we observed that the above-ground tree carbon (AGTC = 80.4 ± 32.0 Mg ha−1) was significantly higher than below-ground soil carbon to 50 cm depth (BGSC-50 cm = 41.0 ± 5.4 Mg ha−1), followed by below-ground root carbon (BGRC = 37.1 ± 10.1 Mg ha−1), pneumatophore (Pneu_C = 28.8 ± 18.8 Mg ha-1), and downed wood (DW = 0.03 ± 0.02 Mg ha−1) (p < 0.05). In terms of specific species contribution, Heritiera fomes contributed the most to AGTC and BGRC, followed by other species such as Avicennia officinalis > Excoecaria agallocha > Sonneratia apetala > Xylocarpus mekongensis > Bruguiera sexangula. Our findings indicate that maintaining dominant trees (H. fomes) and a diverse stand can be an effective way to enhance carbon stocks in a mangrove ecosystem.

Fire is fundamental to the functioning of tropical savannas and routinely used as a management tool. Shifting prescribed burning from later to earlier in the growing season has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, large uncertainties surround the impact of seasonal burning on longer term plant and soil carbon sequestration. In this study, we quantify ecosystem carbon storage across burn seasons and histories in a wet‐to‐mesic Guinea tropical savanna in Mole National Park, Ghana. Aboveground (plant and litter) and belowground (soil plus roots) carbon storage was quantified across four burning seasons and histories: recent (&lt;3 years) early‐season burns, recent late‐season burns, old (&gt;4 years) late‐season burns, and long‐unburned (&gt;15 years) sites. We found that recent late‐season burns significantly lowered belowground carbon storage to a depth of 17 cm compared with all other burn seasons and histories. Belowground carbon was 1.2 kg C m−2, or 27% lower, for recent late‐season burns compared with prescribed early‐season burns. However, in older late‐season burns sites, belowground carbon “recovered” after 4–13 burn years to comparable storage as long‐unburned and early‐season burn sites. For most aboveground carbon pools, there was no significant difference in carbon storage across burn seasons and histories, except higher aboveground tree carbon in long‐unburned sites. We suggest that observed changes in belowground carbon are likely due to the turnover and production of root carbon. Prescribed early‐season burning is promoted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our findings affirm that early‐season burning has limited impact on plant and soil carbon stocks compared with long‐unburned sites. While early‐season burning regimes will have some patches that become late‐season wildfires, our results suggest on balance early‐season burning regimes are a low‐risk land management practice in reducing plant and soil carbon storage losses and sustaining a patch‐mosaicked landscape with multiple other ecosystem service benefits for savannas.