Carbon Stock Estimation and Human Disturbances in Dry Afromontane Forest Northwestern Ethiopia: Implications for Climate Change Mitigation

Climate change is the most serious global environmental issue caused by excessive atmospheric greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide. This study examined the carbon stock potential and the effects of human disturbances on carbon storage in aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, litter biomass, and soil. Forty plots with 20 m x 20 m systematic sampling techniques were laid out to measure the height and DBH of all woody plant species with DBH ≥ 5 cm. Additionally, 200 sub-plots, each measuring 1 m x 1 m, were established within the major plots to gather litter and soil samples. The results indicated that the mean total carbon stock and CO₂ equivalent in the Embuli Tahisasdar forest were 172.47 t ha⁻¹ and 633.38 t ha⁻¹, respectively. The estimated average carbon stock in the aboveground, belowground, litter, and soil organic carbon was 43.22 ± 74.13 t ha⁻¹, 11.24 ± 19.27 t ha⁻¹, 2.49 ± 0.86 t ha⁻¹, and 115.52 ± 118.96 t ha⁻¹, respectively. The significant variations in carbon stock were observed across different altitudinal and topographic aspects for aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, litter, and soil (P<0.05). In conclusion, the study area serves as a significant carbon sink, contributing positively to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and it has the potential to generate carbon credits, offering financial benefits to the community while supporting biodiversity conservation efforts for the region’s forest resources.

Keywords: Altitude; Carbon pools; Climate change; Disturbance; Forest.