International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB) Vol-2, Issue-4, July-Aug- 2017

http://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijeab/2.4.41 ISSN: 2456-1878

Ecosystem Carbon Storage and Partitioning in

Chato Afromontane Forest: Its Climate Change
Mitigation and Economic Potential
Birhanu Iticha

Soil Resource and Watershed Management Department, Wollega University, P. O. Box 395, Shambu, Ethiopia

Abstract— Forests trap carbon dioxide (CO2) from the forest ecosystem are the living biomass of tree and
atmosphere, store in the form of carbon (C) and regulate understory vegetation, dead mass of litter and woody debris,
climate change. In this study, C storage and climate change and soil organic matter. The vegetation of tropical forests is
mitigation potential of Chato Afromontane forest was a large and globally significant storage of C because
assessed from measurement of the major pools including tropical forests contain more C per unit area than any other
the aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, dead tree land cover (Hairiah et al. 2011). The forest resources of
biomass, plant litter and soil organic carbon (SOC). The Ethiopia store 2.76 billion tons of C (about 10 billion Mg of
result showed that biomass accumulation was CO2) in the aboveground biomass (Yitebitu Moges et al.
comparatively larger for natural forest than plantations due 2010). Forests can be both sources of atmospheric CO 2
to maturity, intactness and species diversity. The total C when disturbed by natural or human causes, and sinks,
storage capacity of the forest ranged from 107.12 Mg ha -1 when vegetation and soil C accumulate after disturbance,
for acacia plantation to 453.21 Mg ha -1 for the intact depending on land management thus potentially
natural forest. The mean C storage capacity by major pools accelerating or mitigating climate change (Lal 2004).
ranged from 1.36 Mg ha-1 for the dead tree C to 157.95 Mg The REDD+ strategy, namely “reducing emissions from
ha-1 for the aboveground C pool. The forest ecosystem deforestation and forest degradation, and foster
accumulated a total of nearly 6371.30 Gg C in the conservation, sustainable management of forests and
vegetation plus soil to a depth of 60 cm. The large volume enhancement of forest C stocks (through afforestation and
of annually trapped C by the vast channels of Chato forest regeneration) are keys to ensure net positive C addition that
makes it the most significant regulator of global climate would then become a credit that could be sold in an
change. Conservation of the sacred forest will have an international C market. However, the potential of C
imperative implication to the net positive C addition financing through REDD+ on forest C sequestration in
ensuring its viability for the international C market. tropical forests has not been systematically studied. The
Keywords— Forest, Chato forest, Afromontane forest, general allometric models developed by Pearson et al.
carbon storage, carbon sequestration rate, climate change, (2005) and Chave et al. (2005) have been widely used,
carbon credit. notably in the context of REDD+, and were recommended
by the IPCC guidelines (IPCC 2006) for estimating C
I. INTRODUCTION stocks in tropical forests. The general model developed by
Forests are land use systems with high tree population and Chave et al. (2005) including tree height provided best
store large quantities of C (Lal 2005). Forest ecosystem biomass estimates specifically for moist tropical forests and
store more than 80% of all terrestrial aboveground C and reduce uncertainties as compared to other generic models
more than 70% of all soil C (Batjes 1996). According to (Ervan et al. 2013).
Batjes (1996) the pedologic and biotic pools together are Afromontane forests are among the most species-rich
called the terrestrial C pools, and they are estimated at 2860 ecosystems on earth (Schmitt et al. 2010). The study was
Pg or 2860 Gt (1Gt = 1Pg = 1 billion metric tons). conducted in Chato Afromontane forest ecosystem, one of
Terrestrial C is the C stored in terrestrial ecosystems as the largest sacred forests in Ethiopia comprising of
living or dead plant biomass (aboveground and untouched natural forest and tree plantations. Although not
belowground) and in the soil along with usually negligible studied so far, the wide range of tree plantations and high
quantities as animal biomass. The main C pools in tropical endemic plant species in Chato forest makes it the most

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International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB) Vol-2, Issue-4, July-Aug- 2017
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powerful C sinks in the tropics. Therefore, the study was Gravellia robusta (3.43 ha) and 14 to 31 years old
designed mainly to estimate C storage capacity and CO2e eucalyptus spp. (174.25 ha) such as Eucalyptus citrodora,
sink of the forest ecosystem so as to unveil the climate Eucalyptus saligna, Eucalyptus comandulus. The area is
change mitigation and economic prospective of the forest. characterized by having unimodal rainfall distribution with
mean annual rainfall of 1566 mm and mean annual
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS temperature of 16.7 0C.
2.1. The study site
Chato forest is situated between 9.62898256 to 2.2. Forest stratification and sampling techniques
9.810748292N and 36.90419252 to 37.06710714E (Fig. 1) Compartments or strata established during forest inventory
in the western parts of Ethiopia with an elevation ranging by Horo Guduru Forest and Wildlife Enterprise, mainly
from 1700 to 2350 m asl. It is found at about 30 km north- based on forest stand type was used for biomass assessment.
west of Shambu, the capital city of Horo Guduru Wollega Besides, part of the forest that was not addressed during
Zone, Oromia Region. The forest was demarcated as inventory by the Enterprise was stratified during the study.
National Forest Priority Areas (NFPA) and has been known The area of each forest stand was tracked by using ground
by the name Chato-Sangi-Dangab forest in the country positioning system (GPS). In the stratum or forest stand,
(EFAP 1994). The forest is classified under moist evergreen nested sample plots of 20 m x 20 m, 2 m x 2 m and 1 m x 1
Afromontane forest consisting high diversity of endemic m were randomly laid to measure the biomass of woody
tree species and a variety of wildlife. Chato forest covers plants, herbaceous/saplings and litter biomasses,
about 14,290.97 hectares (ha) of land comprising of species respectively. A total of 105 sample plots were taken for C
rich natural forest (13670.06 ha) and various tree stock inventory. Sample plots in the same stand, namely
plantations including 17 to 29 years old acacia spp. (6.05 eucalyptus, acacia, Cupressus lusitanica, Juniperus
ha), 18 to 31 years Cupressus lusitanica (434.21 ha), 25 to procera, Gravellia robusta and natural forest were weighed
31years old Juniperus procera (2.97 ha), 14 to 31 years old to give average biomass and C stock for each stand type.

Fig. 1: Areal coverage and location map of Chato state forest

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International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB) Vol-2, Issue-4, July-Aug- 2017
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2.3. Soil sampling and analysis Standing dead tree biomass (SDTB) was estimated by
Carbon stock inventory for the soil was done for the upper classifying the dead tree into three classes. The first class
60 cm depth in the nested plot, by collecting samples from works for standing dead tree with small and large braches
0‒30 and 30‒60 cm layers at 20 locations. Following and twigs but without leaves. In this case, general allometric
sample preparation, samples were analyzed based on the equation was used to estimate biomass and 2% was
standard laboratory procedures. Bulk density was deducted due to absence of leaves. The second class works
determined using core method (Blake and Hartge 1986) for standing dead tree with no twigs but only some large
while SOC was determined using Walkley–Black oxidation branches. In this case:
method (Walkley and Black 1934). π* H
VB  ( ) ( Db 2  ( D b  D t )  Dt 2) (2)
12
2.4. Estimation of biomass in different pools
The third class works for standing dead tree with bole
The major biomass components or pools assessed include
(trunk) only. In this case:
aboveground live biomass, dead tree biomass, below ground
biomass, and litter biomass. ( Db 2 * Dt 2)  H
VB  (3)
8
2.4.1. Aboveground live biomass (AGLB) where VB is volume biomass, H is height of stem, Db and
In each 20 m x 20 m sampling plot, diameter at breast Dt are diameter at base of the tree and top of the stump,
height (DBH) and tree height (H) were measured for every respectively. Downed dead tree biomass (DDTB) was
live tree using caliper and hypsometer, respectively. Then, determined from volume estimate as:
the aboveground biomass of live trees with DBH ≥ 5 cm 2
 D  Dt 
was estimated by using general allometric equation
VB  0.25  b  * H (4)
recommended by Chave et al. (2005) for moist tropical  2 * 100 
forest stands as indicated hereunder:
where VB is volume of dead wood (m3), Db is diameter of
AGTB  0.0509* (ρ D2 H) (1) the base of the dead wood (cm), Dt is diameter of the tip of
the dead wood (cm), H is length of the dead wood (m).
where AGTB is aboveground tree biomass (kg), ρ is wood
specific gravity (g cm-3), D is tree DBH (cm), and H is tree For standing dead trees of case 2 and 3 and downed dead
height (m). Besides, live grasses, shrubs, herbs, saplings, trees, sample wood density was estimated by floating
and some tree seedlings from natural regeneration with a method (by cutting a disk of wood) and drying until a
DBH < 5 cm (Pearson et al., 2005) were harvested in each 2 constant mass was obtained. Hence, wood density was
m x 2 m subplot located in every corner and center of the estimated by dividing dry weight of the disk by volume of
main plot (400 m2) in the nest. In 4 m2 subplot, total fresh the disk. Subsequently, standing dead tree biomass of class
weight of harvested plant material was measured, from 2 and 3 and downed dead tree biomass was estimated by
which 500 g sample size was taken to the laboratory, oven- multiplying volume biomass by their wood densities.
dried at 85 0C and reweighed to estimate the dry matter of Biomass of standing dead tree under each case was summed
aboveground grasses, shrubs, herbs and saplings biomass up to give total SDTB. Finally, SDTB and DDTB were
(AGHSB). Finally, aboveground live biomass was the sum summed to provide DTB.
of aboveground tree biomass and aboveground grasses,
shrubs, herbs, and saplings biomass. 2.4.4. Litter biomass (LB)
The dry matter of litter and finer plant debris was collected
2.4.2. Belowground biomass (BGB) from 1 m x 1 m plot in every four corners and center of the
Belowground biomass was estimated from aboveground main 400 m2 plot in the nest. In the 1 m2 plot, litter was
biomass on the basis of root to shoot ratio of (0.24:1) collected and total fresh weight was recorded, from which
recommended by Cairns et al. (1997) for moist tropical 250 g sample size was taken to the laboratory, oven-dried at
forests (woody and non-woody). 85 0C and reweighed to estimate the dry matter.

2.4.3. Dead tree biomass (DTB) 2.5. Calculation of carbon stock from biomass
The dead tree biomass was estimated for standing and The amount of C stored in each pool (kg) was determined
downed dead trees following (CSEMF 2011) equations. by multiplying the biomass of each pool (kg) to 0.50

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International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB) Vol-2, Issue-4, July-Aug- 2017
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(Payton and Waever 2011) as follows:
C x  Biomass * 0.5 (5) CO2 e  3.67 * CT (11)

2.6. Calculation of carbon storage capacity Values in Gg can be obtained by dividing Mg of OC or CO2
Then, C storage capacity (Mg ha‒1) was calculated by by 1000.
dividing the Cx stored in each pool and each subplot (kg) by
area of the subplot (m2) and multiplying with 10 as follows: 2.10. Statistical data analysis
Descriptive statistics was used to summarize mean and
Cx
C storage capacity  ( ) * 10 (6) coefficient of variation of measured parameters.
A Generalized biomass models developed for moist tropical
where C storage capacity was estimated for each types of forests were used to determine carbon stock of forests.
pools (i.e. AGB, BGB, DTB, and LB) expressed as Mg ha –1 Mean separation was carried out using least significant
and 10 is a conversion factor from kg m‒2 to Mg ha–1. difference (LSD) at p< 0.05.

2.7. Estimation of soil organic carbon (SOC) III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The SOC (Mg ha-1) to specific soil depth was estimated as: 3.1. Impact of stand type and biomass component on
SOC  OC * ρb * d * CFU (7) biomass accumulation
-1 Biomass accumulation in the forest ecosystem is usually
where OC is mg g C concentration, d is soil thickness or
depth i.e. 0–30 and 30–60 cm, ρb is bulk density of the soil influenced by kind of forest, type of pool, tree size class and
(g cm-3) and CFU is correction factor for units (= 10 -1). density, species composition, forest age, and level of
protection, all of which determine the C storage level of the
2.8. Quantifying total carbon stock (TCS) forest. The study result shows that Chato natural forest had
The total C stock in the nested plot expressed in (Mg ha-1) accumulated large volume of biomass than plantation forest
was calculated by adding C stored in all pools in each for similar pools (Table 1). Total biomass accumulation, the
subplot in the nest according to the equation: sum of biomass stored in all components, was highest for
C plot  C AGLB  C BGB  C DTB  C LB  SOC (8) the natural forest followed by plantations including
eucalyptus species, Cupressus lusitanica, Juniperus
where CAGLB, CBGB, CDTB, CLB, and SOC were C stored in the
procera, Gravellia robusta, and lowest for acacia species.
aboveground live biomass, belowground biomass, dead tree
Larger biomass in natural forest might be attributed to
biomass, litter biomass, and in the soil in the subplots
maturity, species diversity and good understory cover.
expressed in (Mg ha-1), respectively. The amount of C
The study result shows that the average biomass stored (Mg
stored in each types of forest stand (Mg) was calculated as
ha-1) in different biomass pools decreased in order AGB >
follows:
BGB > LB > DTB for all types of forest stands. The
  C plot 
C st    * Ast quantity of biomass accumulated in the aboveground
 (9)
biomass pool was significantly different from other pools at
 n plot 
(p< 0.05) indicating more biomass was accumulated in the
where Cplot is the total C stored in each plots expressed in
aboveground pool. The mean biomass accumulated in
(Mg ha-1), nplot is the number of sample plots in the stand,
Chato forest by biomass components ranged from 2.73 Mg
Ast is area of each stand (ha). The total C stock in the whole
ha-1 in the dead tree to 315.90 Mg ha-1 in the aboveground
forest was calculated as follows:
biomass pools. Canopy cover, basal area, and height of trees
CT   C st (10) might be attributed to the larger proportion of biomass in
where CT is total C stock (Mg) and Cst is the total C stock of the aboveground biomass pool. The average value of the
each forest stand (Mg). aboveground biomass for natural forest in the present study
(603.72 Mg ha-1) was higher than the findings of Brown and
2.9. Estimation of equivalent CO2 sink Lugo (1982) and Abel Girma et al. (2014) who reported a
Finally, as 1 Mg of soil C = 3.67 Mg of CO 2 sequestered range of 225 to 446 Mg ha-1 for the tropical rain forests in
(Craig et al., 2010), the equivalent CO2 sink (Mg) in Chato Malaysia and a mean value of 475.51 Mg ha-1 for woody
forest was estimated based on the total C stock as follows: plants of Mount Zequalla Monastery in Ethiopia,
respectively. However, the present result is almost similar

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International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB) Vol-2, Issue-4, July-Aug- 2017
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with the aboveground biomass values of 607.7 Mg ha -1 the remaining pools were accumulated only 21.01%
reported for tropical wet evergreen forest of western India biomass. In all forest stands, the smallest biomass was
(Rai 1981) and less than 994.16 Mg ha-1 reported for forest recorded in the dead tree/wood compared with other pools.
in the lowland area of Simien mountains national park of Low tree mortality and decomposition of deed woods might
Ethiopia (Tibebu Yelemfrhat et al. 2014). The average be the causes for low dead tree biomass. The aboveground
aboveground biomass for plantation forest in the present shrubs and saplings biomass was highly variable with stand
study (258.34 Mg ha-1) was less than the aboveground type than other pools as depicted by larger coefficient of
biomass of plantation forest in the humid tropics in variation (76.73%) (Table 1). This could be due to
northeast India (406.4 Mg ha-1) (Ratul et al. 2009) but differences in suitability of various forest stands for the
greater than 223.6 Mg ha-1 reported by Wondrade et al. understory growth and it was more vigorous in the natural
(2015). Nearly 78.99% of total biomass in the natural forest forest than plantations.
was allocated in the aboveground biomass (Table 2) while

Table.1: Average biomass accumulation in the different forest stands and biomass components
Biomass storage (Mg ha-1) in different components
Forest category AGTB AGHSB BGB DTB LB Total
Eucalyptus spp. 396.34 13.80 98.43 3.18 6.50 518.25
Acacia spp. 90.35 9.13 23.87 0.67 2.80 126.82
Cupressus lusitanica 353.83 6.45 86.47 3.53 4.20 454.48
Juniperus procera 233.69 8.05 58.02 3.14 3.50 306.40
Gravellia robusta 175.73 4.33 43.21 0.31 2.30 225.88
Natural forest 574.54 29.18 144.89 5.52 10.20 764.33
b a a a a
Mean 304.08 11.82 75.82 2.73 4.92
CV (%) 57.20 76.73 57.42 71.50 60.61
AGTB: aboveground tree biomass; AGHSB: aboveground grasses, herbaceous, shrubs, and saplings biomass; BGB:
belowground biomass; DTB: dead tree biomass; LB: litter biomass; and CV: coefficient of variation. AGB = AGTB + AGHSB.
Means within rows followed by different letters are significantly different at (p< 0.05).

Table.2: Percent biomass allocation in different pools for various forest stands
Type of forest Biomass allocation (%)
AGB BGB DTB LB
Eucalyptus spp. 79.14 18.99 0.61 1.25
Acacia spp. 78.44 18.82 0.53 2.21
Cupressus lustanica 79.27 19.03 0.78 0.92
Juniperus procera 78.90 18.94 1.02 1.14
Gravellia robusta 79.71 19.13 0.14 1.02
Natural forest 78.99 18.96 0.72 1.33

Previous research indicated that matured forests do not add growing trees have an increasing biomass storage rate than
up significant quantity of biomass because there is no net slow growing ones until the time of maturity.
addition to the aboveground biomass density (Ratul et al.
2009). Instead, they are important for regeneration and 3.2. Carbon storage capacity of different forest stands
sustaining a large volume of an already accumulated and pools
biomass and biodiversity. Newly established plantations The total C storage capacity of different stands decreased in
are; however, add significant quantities of biomass to the the following order: natural forest > eucalyptus species >
ecosystem. The contribution of younger forests to the total Cupressus lusitanica > Juniperus procera > Gravellia
biomass varied with the rate of growth suggesting fast robusta > acacia species (Table 3). The mean C storage

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International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB) Vol-2, Issue-4, July-Aug- 2017
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capacity of the natural forest in the entire pools was 453.21 Malaysia (223 Mg ha-1), Indonesian forests (161 Mg ha-1)
Mg ha-1 whereas that of plantations (viz. eucalyptus species, and Philippines forest (258 Mg ha-1) but smaller than the
Cupressus lusitanica, Juniperus procera, Gravellia robusta, intact natural forests in south-eastern Australia (640 Mg ha-
and acacia species) was 208.08 Mg ha-1. Species richness, 1
) reported by Brown and Lugo (1982), Murdiyarso and
full ceiling canopy and several layers of understory might Wasrin (1995), Lasco et al. (2006) and Brendan et al.
have contributed to the larger C storage potential of the (2008), respectively. Combining C stored in the natural
natural forest. The average C storage capacity of Chato forest and plantations, the mean C storage capacity of Chato
natural forest was greater than that of tropical rain forest of forest in the entire pools was 248.93 Mg ha-1.

Table.3: Average C storage potential in the different pools by major forest stands
C storage capacity (Mg ha-1) in different pools
Forest stand AGC BGC DTC LC SOC Total
Eucalyptus spp. 205.07 49.22 1.59 3.25 41.70 300.83
Acacia spp. 49.74 11.94 0.33 1.40 43.72 107.12
Cupressus lustanica 180.14 43.23 1.77 2.10 53.16 280.40
Juniperus procera 120.87 29.01 1.57 1.75 62.01 215.21
Gravellia robusta 90.03 21.61 0.16 1.15 23.89 136.83
Natural forest 301.86 72.45 2.76 5.10 71.04 453.21
Mean c ab a a b
157.95 37.91 1.36 2.46 49.25
CV (%) 57.42 57.42 71.50 60.61 33.78
Means within rows followed by different letters are significantly different at (p< 0.05). AGC: aboveground carbon; BGC:
belowground carbon; DTC: dead tree carbon; LC: litter carbon; and SOC: soil organic carbon.

The C storage capacity varies with type of pool. The AGC eucalyptus species (205.07 Mg ha-1) and Cupressus
pool and SOC were significantly different from other pools lusitanica (180.14 Mg ha-1) as they are relatively older than
and from each other at (p< 0.05). The DTC and LC were other tree plantations. The mean belowground C for the
also significantly different from AGC and SOC but not natural forest (72.45 Mg ha-1) was much higher than that
significantly different from each other at (p< 0.05). The tropical forest in Malaysia (27 Mg ha-1) (Tara 2012). The
study shows that the mean C stock of the major pools in contributions of DTC and LC to the total C pool were minor
each forest stand decreased as AGC > SOC > BGC > LC > which might be due to decomposition of dead wood over
DTC; implying more C allocation in the aboveground pool time leading to loss of C.
(Fig. 2). Nearly 63.45% of C was stored in the aboveground The mean SOC storage potential to a depth of 60 cm in
pool followed by 19.79, 15.23, 0.99 and 0.55% in the soil, Chato forest was 49.25 Mg ha-1, where natural forest and
belowground, litter, and dead tree, respectively. This was in plantations stored averagely 71.04 Mg ha-1 and 44.90 Mg
line with Zerihun Getu et al. (2012) report that tropical ha-1, respectively. The average SOC for the natural forest in
forests in their natural condition contain more aboveground the present study was a little higher than SOC stock range
C per unit area than any other land cover type. The average of 58.3 to 63.9 Mg ha-1 reported by Solomon et al. (2002)
C stored in the aboveground pool for the natural forest was for humid tropical forest in southeastern Ethiopia and that
301.86 Mg ha-1 while that of plantation forest was 129.17 of plantations is at par with 44.2 Mg ha -1 reported by
Mg ha-1. Combining the C sequestered in the natural forest Thomas et al. (2015). Mulugeta Lemenih et al. (2005) also
and plantations, the mean aboveground C storage capacity found SOC storage of 23.4 Mg ha-1 for Cupressus lusitanica
of the Chato forest was 157.95 Mg ha-1. The average plantation which is lower than our findings (53.16 Mg ha-1).
aboveground C for natural forest in the present study The amount of C stored in the soil was greatly affected by
(301.86 Mg ha-1) was larger than the average C in the species richness, age, size and density of forest and the
aboveground biomass for tropical forests in Malaysia (149 understory cover. In forests with high plant diversity, it is
Mg ha-1) but smaller than estimates in the Phillipines (406 likely that they would have litters with different degrees of
Mg ha-1) reported by Tara (2012) and Lasco et al. (2006), chemical resistance; creating the possibility of longer
respectively. The study result indicated that average residence of C through slower decomposition of litters and
aboveground C in the tree plantations was better in build up of soil C. As C is generally a more variable

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International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB) Vol-2, Issue-4, July-Aug- 2017
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parameter, coefficient of variability (CV) was high for most in DTC pool (71.50%) and lowest in SOC pool (33.38%).
C pools investigated within different forest stands (Table 3). This implies C in the vegetation is more variable than C in
Relatively, C stock variation within stand type was highest the soil.

70

60

50
% carbon

40

30

20

10

0
AGC BGC DTC LC SOC
Type of carbon pool
Fig. 2: Carbon partitioning/mean proportion of C stock in different pools in Chato forest

3.3. Net carbon sequestration rate volumes of C in the form of biomass over long periods of
Plantation forest established in the study site some 31 years time. In line with this, Lewis et al. (2009) indicated that old
back had added nearly 175.93 Gg C to the forest ecosystem. natural forests may not be C neutral but continue to be C
Our result shows that the average C sequestration rate for sinks and observed a slow increasing tree C storage rate of
the plantations of varying age was 8.65 Mg ha-1 yr-1; the 0.49 Mg ha-1 yr-1 in African tropical old growth forests.
quantity higher than the average value of 3.98 Mg ha-1 yr-1 Generally, a study by Popo-ola et al. (2012) indicated that
for mixed plantation forest in China reported by Yuanqi et planting new forests, rehabilitating degraded forests and
al. (2015). Previous research indicated that plantation enriching existing forests contribute to mitigating climate
forests are a cost-effective means of sequestering C (Adams change as these actions increase the rate and quantity of C
et al. 1999). Among plantations, eucalyptus species and sequestration in biomass.
Cupressus lusitanica were relatively matured and thus,
stored more C than other plantations (Table 3). Young 3.4. Climate change mitigation and economic potential
forest holds less C, but it is sequestering additional C over of the forest
time. An old forest may not be capturing significant In the entire forest ecosystem, a total of 6371.30 Gg C was
quantity of net new C but can continue to hold large stored in the vegetation plus soil (Table 4).

Table.4: Total C stock and equivalent carbon-dioxide sink across different forest stands
Forest category Total C stock (Gg) Equivalent CO2 sink (Gg)
Eucalyptus spp. 52.42 192.38
Acacia spp. 0.65 2.38
Cupressus lustanica 121.75 446.83
Juniperus procera 0.64 2.35
Gravellia robusta 0.47 1.72
Natural forest 6195.37 22737.00
*1 Gg = 1000 tons

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Here, deforestation of each 1 hectare of natural forest and makes it the most significant regulator of global climate
plantations would cause the loss of about 453.21 and 208.08 change. Sustaining the afforestation and forest management
Mg C, respectively. Supposed deforestation of the whole programs will possibly ensure the viability of the forest for
Chato forest would emit 23382.65 Gg CO2 to the REDD+ projects. Lastly, more research is required to
atmosphere. Thus, sustainability of the forest has a clear explore the untapped potential of the forest and give due
implication to the global climate change. However, owing attention to develop C models specific to the sacred
to protection of existing forests and expansion of Afromontane forests.
plantations in the study area, there is rather a net addition of
C to the forest ecosystem. Perez et al. (1997) suggested that REFERENCES
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