• editor.aipublications@gmail.com
  • Track Your Paper
  • Contact Us
  • ISSN: 2456-8791

International Journal Of Forest, Animal And Fisheries Research(IJFAF)

Estimation of Long-Term Above-Ground Biomass, Carbon Stocks and Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Lost Due to Deforestation in Mapfungautsi Forest, Zimbabwe

Tirivashe Phillip Masere , Rodrick Nyahwai , eil Mandinyenya Zhou

Article Info: Received: 10 Apr 2023; Received in revised form: 22 May 2023; Accepted: 02 Jun 2023; Available online: 10 Jun 2023

Download | Downloads : 3 | Total View : 400

DOI: 10.22161/ijfaf.7.3.5

Journal : International Journal Of Forest, Animal And Fisheries Research(IJFAF)

Share

Tropical forests play an important role of storing significant quantities of carbon, both, aboveground and belowground. However, deforestation activities for various purposes, among them, agriculture and settlement, have continued to remove unknown quantities of biomass and carbon stocks across tropical forests of Africa. This study was conducted to estimate aboveground tree biomass (AGB), carbon stocks (AGCS) and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 e) among three vegetation cover types (wooded land, bushland and grassland) found in Mapfungautsi forest and to quantify the long-term estimated total AGB, AGCS and CO2 e lost due to deforestation activities in the forest (between the year 2000 and 2020). Data collection was conducted using remote sensing imagery, field measurements and an allometric equation. A total of 22 plots, each measuring 50m x50m were established across the three vegetation cover types where tree height, diameter at breast height, number of stems/ha and regeneration were measured. The collected data was analysed using EViews Version 10 software. Wooded land generally had the highest values across all the four tree growth variables followed by bushland and grassland. The average estimated AGB stored were 50.78t/ha, 14.7t/ha and 8.2 t/ha for wooded land, bushland and grassland respectively. From the 10632ha cleared over 20 years, losses amounting to an estimated mean total AGB, AGCS and CO2 e of 387669.53t, 182205.09t and 668692.69t respectively were observed. We conclude that quantifying and raising awareness about the lost AGB, AGCS and CO2 e among stakeholders will lead to the implementation of remedial action to replenish the lost biomass and carbon stocks.

Aboveground biomass, agriculture, carbon stocks, deforestation, Mapfungautsi forest, trees

[1] A. D. Ibrahim, I. Moussahoudou, and D. B. Gontran, “Application of allometric equation for estimating above-ground biomass and carbon stock of urban trees in selected areas of Southern Bénin (West Africa),” International Journal of Forest, Animal and Fisheries Research (IJFAF), vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 32-39, 2022.
[2] J. W. F. Slik, S. I. Aiba, F. Q. Brearley, C. H. Cannon, O. Forshed, K. Kitayama, H. Nagamasu, R. Nilus, J. Payne, G. Paoli, et al., “Environmental correlates of tree biomass, basal area,wood specific gravity and stem density gradients in Borneo’s tropical forests,” Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr., vol. 19, pp. 50-60, 2010.
[3] F. Hans, P. Magdon, C. Kleinn, and F. Heiner, “Estimating aboveground carbon in a catchment of the Siberian forest tundra: Combining satellite imagery and field inventory,” Remote Sensing of Environment, vol. 113, pp. 518-531, 2009.
[4] B. Barasa, M. G. J. Majaliwa, S. Lwasa, J. Obando, and Y. Bamutaze, “Estimation of the aboveground biomass in the trans-boundary River Sio Sub-catchment in Uganda,” J. Appl. Sci. Environ. Manage., vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 87-90, 2010.
[5] T. P. Masere, “Evaluation of the role of small-scale farmers in soil and water conservation management in the context of climate change,” in Resource Management in Agroecosystems, G. Ondrasek, and L. Zhang, Eds. IntechOpen, 2022.
[6] D. B. Lindenmayer, and W. F. Laurance, “The ecology, distribution, conservation and management of large old trees,” Biol. Rev., vol. 92, pp 1434-1458, 2017.
[7] G. Tejaswi, “Manual on deforestation, degradation, and fragmentation using remote sensing and GIS,” MAR-SFM Working Paper 5. Rome: FAO, 2007, pp. 1-49.
[8] S. Syampungani, J. Clendenning, D. Gumbo, R. Nasi, K. Moombe, P. Chirwa, … and G. Petrokofsky, “The impact of land-use and cover change on above and below-ground carbon stocks of the Miombo woodlands since the 1950s: A systematic review,” Protocol. Environ. Evidence, vol. 3, pp. 1-10, 2014.
[9] R. Nyahwai, T. P. Masere, and N. M. Zhou, “An assessment of the factors responsible for the extent of deforestation in Mapfungautsi forest, Zimbabwe,” Int. J. Agric Techno., vol. 2 no. 1, pp. 1-9, 2022.
[10] J. Chave, C. Andalo, S. Brown, M. A. Cairns, J. Q. Chambers, D. Eamus, ... and T. Yamakura, “Tree allometry and improved estimation of carbon stocks and balance in tropical forests,” Oecologia, vol. 145, no. 1, pp. 87-99, 2005.
[11] IPCC, “Good practice guidance for land use, landuse change and forestry,” IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme, Kanagawa, Japan. 2003.
[12] M. Rahman, E. Csaplovics, and B. Koch,. (2008). “Satellite estimation of forest carbon using regression models,” International Journal of Remote Sensing, vol. 29, no. 23, pp. 6917-6936, 2008.
[13] B. Fransen, “How to calculate CO2 sequestration.” EcoMatcher. https://www.ecomatcher.com/how-to-calculate-co2-sequestration/ Accessed 25 April 2023
[14] Forestry Commission Mapping and Inventory Unit, “Ngamo-Sikumi REDD+ Pilot Project Biomass Assessment Report No. 1,” 2019..
[15] E. Amara, H. Adhikari, J. M. Mwamodenyi, P .K. E. Pellikka, and J. Heiskanen, “Contribution of tree size and species on aboveground biomass across land cover types in the Taita Hills, Southern Kenya,” Forests, vol. 14, 642.
[16] S. Mensah, F. Noulèkoun, and E. E. Ago, “Aboveground tree carbon stocks in West African semi-arid ecosystems: Dominance patterns, size class allocation and structural drivers,” Glob. Ecol. Conserv., vol. 24, e01331, 2020.
[17] M. Bradford, and H. T. Murphy, “The importance of large-diameter trees in the wet tropical rainforests of Australia. PLoS ONE vol. 14, e0208377, 2019.
[18] A. Ali, and L. Q. Wang, “Big-sized trees and forest functioning: Current knowledge and future perspectives,” Ecol. Indic, vol. 127, 107760, 2021.
[19] C. Wekesa, N. Leley, E. Maranga, B. Kirui, G. Muturi, M. Mbuvi, and B. Chikamai, “Effects of forest disturbance on vegetation structure and above-ground carbon in three isolated forest patches of Taita Hills,” Open J. For., vol. 6, pp. 142-161, 2016.
[20] A. T. Vanak, M. Thaker, and R. Slotow, “Do fences create an edge-effect on the movement patterns of a highly mobile mega-herbivore?,” Biol. Conserv., vol. 143, pp. 2631–2637, 2010.
[21] I. Chirisa, E. Bandauko, and N. T. Mutsindikwa, “Distributive politics at play in Harare, Zimbabwe: Case for housing cooperatives,” Bandung J of Glob. South vol. 2, pp. 1-13, 2015.
[22] T. P. Masere, and S. Worth, “Influence of public agricultural extension on technology adoption by small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe,” S Afr J Agric Ext. vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 25-42, 2021.
[23] T. P. Masere, and S. Worth, “Applicability of APSIM in decision making by small-scale resource-constrained farmers: A case of Lower Gweru Communal area, Zimbabwe,” J. of Int Agric Ext. Educ., vol. 22, no.3, 20-34, 2015.