1. Method Introduction Objective Conclusions References Recommendations
Assessment of Biomass and Soil Carbon Stocks of Agroforestry Systems and Adjacent Cultivated land, in Cheha District, Gurage Zone, Ethiopia. *Mihert Semere, Mesele Negash
Introduction
Forest ecosystem and other ecologically and environmentally sustainable land uses act as a sink for carbon dioxide (CO2).
Biomass and soils also act as a sink in agroforestry systems through reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere (USDA NRCS, 2000).
Objective
Estimate and compare above and belowground biomass carbon stocks of home garden and woodlot AFS.
Determine and compare soil organic & total carbon stocks of the two AFS and cultivated land.
Method
Study sites were selected based on agroforestry dominance, accessibility, resource and time.
Site and species specific global alometric models for biomass carbon analysis.
Standard laboratory analysis and Walkley and Black method (SOC) analysis.
IBM SPSS version 20 software was used for statistical analysis.
One way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was performed to examine the variations
Fig 1. Map of the study area
Though the potential of agroforestry for carbon sequestration has solitary newly been recognized superfluous effort and further study is needed to asses its contribution for climate change mitigation.
Results
Tabel1.Ecosystem carbon stocks (biomass plus soil) of the studied land use systems (Mg ha-1) n= 20 for each.
Carbon stock Cultivated land Home garden Woodlot
Biomass C ±2.3a ±6.3b
SOC (0-40) 73±20a 94.2±15a ±11.4a
Total 73±20a 100.4±15b ±14a
N.B In this study cultivated land does not contribute for biomass carbon stock since the system incorporates only annual crops. Thus only SOC is estimated.
Fig4. Biomass carbon stock distribution among the agroforestry system components
Conclusions
The result of the study revealed that agro forestry systems have high carbon stock potential compared to cultivated land use systems.
The results also showed that different land use systems have significant effects on biomass and SOC stock potential.
Recommendations
Climate change mitigation (carbon emission reduction) strategies such as REDD++should give a great recognition for agroforestry.
Agro forestry has remarkable potential on contribution for climate change mitigation.
Governmental bodies should consider carbon incentive in agroforestry offers an opportunity for sequestering a large amount of carbon.
References
Kuyah, S., Dietz, J., Muthuri, C., Jamnadass, R., Mwangi, P., Coe, R., NeufeldtH .,2012. Allometric equations for estimating biomass in agricultural landscapes: II. Aboveground biomass. AgricEcosystEnvironent, 158:216–224.
Nair, PKR.,2012 Carbon sequestration studies in agroforestry systems: a reality-check. AgroforestSyst, 86:243–253.
Negash, M., Mike Starr, M.,Kanninen , M.,Berhe, L., Allometric equations for estimating aboveground biomass of CoffeaarabicaL.grown in the Rift Valley escarpment of Ethiopia. Agroforest.Syst.