TITLE:
Total Carbon Stock and Potential Carbon Sequestration Economic Value of Mukogodo Forest-Landscape Ecosystem in Drylands of Northern Kenya
AUTHORS:
Nereoh C. Leley, David K. Langat, Abdalla K. Kisiwa, Geoffry M. Maina, Meshack O. Muga
KEYWORDS:
Carbon Sequestration, Carbon Stock, Economic Value, Dryland Forest-Landscape, Kenya
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.12 No.1,
November
22,
2021
ABSTRACT: Carbon sequestration is one of the important ecosystem services provided
by forested landscapes. Dry forests have high potential for carbon storage.
However, their potential to store and sequester carbon is poorly understood in
Kenya. Moreover, past attempts to estimate carbon stock have ignored drylands
ecosystem heterogeneity. This study assessed the potential of Mukogodo dryland
forest-landscape in offsetting carbon dioxide through carbon sequestration and
storage. Four carbon pools (above and below ground biomass, soil, dead wood and
litter) were analyzed. A total of 51 (400 m2)
sample plots were established using stratified-random sampling technique to
estimate biomass across six vegetation classes in three landscape types (forest
reserve, ranches and conservancies) using nested-plot design. Above ground
biomass was determined using generalized multispecies model with diameter at
breast height, height and wood density as variables. Below ground, soil, litter
and dead wood biomass; carbon stocks and carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq)
were estimated using secondary information. The CO2eq was multiplied
by current prices of carbon trade to compute carbon sequestration value. Mean ±
SE of biomass and carbon was determined across vegetation and landscape types
and mean differences tested by one-way Analysis of Variance. Mean biomass and
carbon was about 79.15 ± 40.22 TB ha-1 and 37.25 ± 18.89 TC ha-1 respectively. Cumulative carbon stock was estimated at
682.08 TC ha-1; forest reserve (251.57 TC ha-1)
had significantly high levels of carbon stocks compared to ranches (209.78 TC ha-1)
and conservancies (220.73 TC ha-1, P = 0.000).
Further, closed forest significantly contributed to the overall biomass and
carbon stock (58%). The carbon sequestration potential was about 19.9MTCO2eq with most conservative worth of KES 39.9B (US$40M) per annum. The high carbon
stock in the landscape shows the potential of dryland ecosystems as carbon sink
for climate change mitigation. However, for communities to benefit from bio-carbon
funds in future, sustainable landscape management and restorative measures
should be practiced to enhance carbon storage and provision of other ecosystem
services.