Forest Carbon Stock in Woody Plants of Ades Forest, Western Hararghe Zone of Ethiopia and its Variation along Environmental Factors: Implication for Climate Change Mitigation

Abstract

Forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle. They are not only having a significant impact on climate change, but also influence it. Through their destruction, forests can be serious sources of greenhouse gases and through their sustainable management they can be important sinks of the same gases. The study was accompanied to estimate the carbon stock and its variation along environmental gradient. The general objective of this study is to determine the carbon sequestration potential of Ades forest and indicating its contribution to climate change mitigation. Sample plots were laid along line transects based on altitudinal variation of the study area. A randomly sampling plot (10 m x 20 m) in each site was established. The procedures were based on data collection and analysis of carbon accumulating in different carbon pools. The forest was arranged in classes based on different criteria in order to use appropriate methods for estimation of forest biomass. The mean total carbon stock density of Ades forest was found to be 585.40ton/ha which is ranged about 97.54to5919.52 ton/ha, of which 259.17 ton/ha, 52.20 ton/ha, 2.34 ton /ha and 271.69 ton/ ha comprised by above the ground biomass, below the ground biomass, litter carbon and soil organic carbon respectively. Altitude, aspect and slop gradients are such a factors that affect the carbon stock potential in above ground biomass, below ground biomass, litter biomass and soil organic carbon. The middle altitudinal zone of the study site had better carbon stock potential than the rest classes due to the presence of high DBH class of individuals’ and suitable environmental condition whereas the carbon stock of AGC, BGC.LC and SOC showed an increasing trend with increasing slop. The total carbon stock value have direct relationship with altitude and slope, it increases with increasing slope and altitude. The amount of total carbon stock was higher on the southern aspect as compared to other aspects. The current study shows that carbon stock value of Ades forest was highly affected by environmental factors such as altitude, slope and aspects, but aspect was the only factor that showed significance difference in carbon stocks of the forest and this condition concluded that the forest should be conserved and managed for further carbon reservoirs.

Keywords: Ades forest, biomass, carbon stock, environmental factors, global climate change