Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management

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Browsing Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management by Subject "Above ground biomass"

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    Carbon Stock Estimation Along Altitudinal Gradient in Woodland Vegetation in Ilu Gelan District, West Shewa, Zone of Oromia Region, Central Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa Universty, 2015-06) Abetu, Deresa; Kelbessa, Ensermu (Professor)
    Forests play a significant role in climate change mitigation by sequestering and storing carbon from the atmosphere which was released by anthropogenic factors. The overall objective of this study was to estimate Carbon stock of above and below ground biomass along altitudinal gradient in the woodland vegetation (Ilu Gelan District, Oromia Region). The study was used allometric models equation of Brown et al. (1989) for above ground and below ground biomass was calculated based on the ratio of below ground biomass to above ground biomass ratio of (MacDicken,1997) using systematic transects line sampling to estimate the above ground biomass data for different trees with diameter ≥5 cm found in the study area. Quadrants of 54 plots were established by dropping a distance of 25 m altitudinal gradient between each plot with square plots of 400 m2 (20 m x 20 m). Parameters such as the diameter at breast height (DBH) and height were used. A total of 86 woody species of 39 families with stem number of 4188 was collected and analyzed. The results of this study showed that the total mean carbon biomass in 54 plots of the study was 87.77 C t /ha for above ground biomass (AGB) and 17.5 C t/ha for below-ground biomass (BGB). In this woodland ecosystem, the total mean carbon stock of AGC was more important compared to the total carbon stock of BGC which was 41.25 t C /ha against 8.25 t C/ha respectively. Similarly, the average carbon stock of lower altitude was larger than that of the higher altitudinal gradient with the same pattern of AGB and BGB (183.23, 60.49C t C/ha) respectively. This result showed that the species density is larger at higher altitude when compared to the lower altitude because of different anthropogenic disturbances and threats in the study area. This research indicates that, this woodland vegetation holds large stores of carbon, yet uncertainty remains regarding their quantitative contribution to global carbon cycle. Key words: Above ground biomass, Altitudinal gradient, below ground biomass, Carbon stock, Mountain Dirki woodland.