Biomass, carbon stock and sequestration potential of Oxytenanthera abyssinica forests in Lower Beles River Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia

Shiferaw Abebe; Amare Sewnet Minale; Demel Teketay; Durai Jayaraman; Trinh Thang Long

doi:10.1186/s13021-021-00192-5

Biomass, carbon stock and sequestration potential of Oxytenanthera abyssinica forests in Lower Beles River Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia

Carbon Balance Manag. 2021 Sep 17;16(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s13021-021-00192-5.

Authors

Shiferaw Abebe^{1

2}, Amare Sewnet Minale³, Demel Teketay⁴, Durai Jayaraman⁵, Trinh Thang Long⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Bahir Dar University, P. O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. shiferaw1a@gmail.com.
² Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Assosa University, P. O. Box 18, Assosa, Ethiopia. shiferaw1a@gmail.com.
³ Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Bahir Dar University, P. O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Range and Forest Resources, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Private Bag 0027, Gaborone, Botswana.
⁵ International Bamboo and Rattan Organization, Beijing, 100102, China.

Abstract

Background: Given the large bamboo resource base with considerable potential to act as an important carbon sink, Ethiopia has included bamboo in the national Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and enhancing forest carbon stocks (REDD+) and Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) programs. However, little is known about the carbon stock and sequestration potential of bamboo forests. As a result, this research was conducted to quantify the carbon sequestration and storage capacity of Oxytenanthera abyssinica forests in the Lower Beles River Basin, northwestern Ethiopia. To this end, a total of 54 circular plots, each measuring 100 m² with a radius of 5.64 m, were established to conduct the inventory in Assitsa and Eddida bamboo forests, the typical bamboo sites in Lower Beles River Basin. Biomass accumulation of bamboo was estimated using an allometric equation based on diameter at breast height (DBH) and age. Soil samples were taken from two different soil depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm) to determine soil organic carbon.

Results: Results indicate that the mean biomass of the bamboo forests in the study area accounted for about 177.1 [Formula: see text] 3.1 Mg ha^-1. The mean biomass carbon and soil organic carbon stock of the bamboo forests were 83.2 [Formula: see text] 1.5 Mg C ha^-1 and 70 [Formula: see text] 1.7 Mg C ha^-1, respectively. Therefore, the mean carbon stock of the O. abyssinica bamboo forests was 152.5 [Formula: see text] 2.5 Mg C ha^-1 to 559.8 [Formula: see text] 9.0 ton CO₂ ha^-1.

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of assessing bamboo's carbon stock and sequestration potential for enhancing its role in climate change mitigation and sustainable resource management. The O. abyssinica bamboo forests of the study area have significant carbon stock and sequestration potential. Therefore, sustainable management of these crucial vegetation resources will enhance their role in providing ecosystem services, including climate change mitigation.

Keywords: Biomass; Carbon storage; Ethiopia; Lower Beles Basin; O. abyssinica; Soil carbon.

Grants and funding

D/6296-1/International Foundation for Science (IFS)