Biological carbon storage potential of <i>Guiera senegalensis</i> J.F.Gmel. stands in Central Africa: a case study from Cameroon

Abstract

Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the biological carbon storage potential of Guiera senegalensis stands in Cameroon. Sampling was done in 180 plots of 2500 m2 (50 m × 50 m) (40 ha) in the G. senegalensis stands. The destructive and non-destructive method was used to estimate the amount of carbon in different biomasses. A laboratory analysis was done to assess soil carbon by the Walkley and Black method. The experimental device installed is a split plot with 180 repetitions. The result reveals that the aboveground carbon is ≥5.20 ± 0.65 Mg C/ha in the two regions. The belowground carbon is ≥1.48 ± 0.23 Mg C/ha in the two regions. The herbaceous carbon is ≥2.03 ± 0.00 Mg C/ha in the two regions. The litter carbon is ≥0.36 ± 0.04 Mg C/ha in the two regions. The dead wood carbon is ≥0.47 ± 0.00 Mg C/ha in the two regions. The fine roots carbon is ≥0.10 ± 0.00 Mg C/ha in the two regions. The soil carbon stock is ≥5.45 ± 0.02 Mg C/ha in the two regions. The total carbon stocks ranged from 16.83 ± 1.03–64.76 ± 2.71 to 19.95 ± 1.33–80.65 ± 4.55 Mg C/ha in the Far North and North regions, respectively. CO2 emissions are ≥61.76 ± 3.78 Mg CO2/ha in the two regions. These results therefore confirm the contributing role of G. senegalensis stands studied in the fight against the mitigation of climate change in Cameroon.