Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern Ethiopia
As the loss of forests over time results in a net flux of carbon (C) into the atmosphere, the practice of agroforestry can combat this and serve as a long-term sink for CO2. Based on the inventory of 93 homegarden agroforestry systems (AFS) in three study sites and using a non-destructive method inv...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Carbon Management |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17583004.2022.2133743 |
| _version_ | 1797678385336418304 |
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| author | Gezahegn Kassa Tamrat Bekele Sebsebe Demissew Tesfaye Abebe |
| author_facet | Gezahegn Kassa Tamrat Bekele Sebsebe Demissew Tesfaye Abebe |
| author_sort | Gezahegn Kassa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As the loss of forests over time results in a net flux of carbon (C) into the atmosphere, the practice of agroforestry can combat this and serve as a long-term sink for CO2. Based on the inventory of 93 homegarden agroforestry systems (AFS) in three study sites and using a non-destructive method involving allometric equations, the research assessed aboveground (AG) and belowground (BG) biomass and biomass C stocks across sites and along age groups in homegarden AFS in southern and southwestern Ethiopia. Plant diversity parameters were also gathered on perennial plant species. Results indicate that the mean perennial plant species richness per homegarden agroforestry, and other diversity parameters varied strongly among sites (p < 0.05). Biomass C stocks range from 18.11 at Malo Ezo to 32.86 Mg C ha−1 at Saja Laften for AG, 3.97 to 7.10 Mg C ha−1 for BG, and 22.02 to 39.96 Mg C ha−1, for each respective sites, for the overall biomass C stocks were recorded within the homegarden agroforestry systems. In terms of age groups, the mean total biomass C stock did show numerical change from the initial, ≤10 years (22.49 Mg C ha−1) to the middle age group, >10 and ≤20 years (39.96 Mg C ha−1), but it was stagnant 20 years onward (28.49 Mg C ha−1). The homegarden agroforestry systems had the potential to store up to 80.81–112.30 Mg·ha−1 of CO2 equivalents across sites, and 82.53–104.55 Mg·ha−1 of CO2 equivalents along age groups. A positive relationship was noted between AG woody biomass C stocks and attributes such as woody species richness, and woody plant density. Considering the involvement of large numbers of homegardeners, future improvements and expansion of homegarden agroforestry to larger areas can enhance to a great extent the potential to sequester C and thereby mitigate climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:58:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c54089f75f1444ea8b97fb0ccf19ee97 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1758-3004 1758-3012 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T22:58:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Carbon Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-c54089f75f1444ea8b97fb0ccf19ee972023-09-21T15:09:07ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCarbon Management1758-30041758-30122022-01-0113153154910.1080/17583004.2022.21337432133743Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern EthiopiaGezahegn Kassa0Tamrat Bekele1Sebsebe Demissew2Tesfaye Abebe3Department of Natural Resource Management, Arba Minch UniversityDepartment of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa UniversityDepartment of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa UniversitySchool of Plant and Horticultural Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa UniversityAs the loss of forests over time results in a net flux of carbon (C) into the atmosphere, the practice of agroforestry can combat this and serve as a long-term sink for CO2. Based on the inventory of 93 homegarden agroforestry systems (AFS) in three study sites and using a non-destructive method involving allometric equations, the research assessed aboveground (AG) and belowground (BG) biomass and biomass C stocks across sites and along age groups in homegarden AFS in southern and southwestern Ethiopia. Plant diversity parameters were also gathered on perennial plant species. Results indicate that the mean perennial plant species richness per homegarden agroforestry, and other diversity parameters varied strongly among sites (p < 0.05). Biomass C stocks range from 18.11 at Malo Ezo to 32.86 Mg C ha−1 at Saja Laften for AG, 3.97 to 7.10 Mg C ha−1 for BG, and 22.02 to 39.96 Mg C ha−1, for each respective sites, for the overall biomass C stocks were recorded within the homegarden agroforestry systems. In terms of age groups, the mean total biomass C stock did show numerical change from the initial, ≤10 years (22.49 Mg C ha−1) to the middle age group, >10 and ≤20 years (39.96 Mg C ha−1), but it was stagnant 20 years onward (28.49 Mg C ha−1). The homegarden agroforestry systems had the potential to store up to 80.81–112.30 Mg·ha−1 of CO2 equivalents across sites, and 82.53–104.55 Mg·ha−1 of CO2 equivalents along age groups. A positive relationship was noted between AG woody biomass C stocks and attributes such as woody species richness, and woody plant density. Considering the involvement of large numbers of homegardeners, future improvements and expansion of homegarden agroforestry to larger areas can enhance to a great extent the potential to sequester C and thereby mitigate climate change.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17583004.2022.2133743carbon stocks and biodiversityclimate change mitigationage groupsperennial plant componentssustainability |
| spellingShingle | Gezahegn Kassa Tamrat Bekele Sebsebe Demissew Tesfaye Abebe Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern Ethiopia Carbon Management carbon stocks and biodiversity climate change mitigation age groups perennial plant components sustainability |
| title | Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Above- and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | above and belowground biomass and biomass carbon stocks in homegarden agroforestry systems of different age groups at three sites of southern and southwestern ethiopia |
| topic | carbon stocks and biodiversity climate change mitigation age groups perennial plant components sustainability |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17583004.2022.2133743 |
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