Carbon Stock in Gullele Botanical Garden: Implications for Carbon Emission Reduction, North Western Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was aimed to examine the carbon Stock in the Gullele Botanical Garden. To meet the objective of the research, the study was entirely based on quantitative study design by considering 60 sample plot i.e., 10*20 m² which was systematically  located at every 600m vertical height and 300m horizontal width in the Garden. The results shown the maximum carbon per tree is 37.84 tones for 2.9% of Eucalyptus globules and Juniperus procera. This indicates planting one tree could be sinking 0.56 + 1.71 SD tones mean carbon in the above ground biomasses.  In addition, the litter carbon concentration analyzed in the laboratory was 54.67 % maximum and 47.71% minimum per sample with mean carbon stock of 59.78%. Whereas, the analysis of  soil organic carbon, The laboratory result had shown .3% minimum and 12.6% maximum soil organic carbon, while 121.49 t ha^-1 maximum and 2.67 t ha^-1 minimum value carbon stocks were recorded. Accordingly, 37.2608 + 19.65541t ha^-1 mean carbon stock Captured in soils, this indicates mean carbon captured in the soil pool was relatively greater than the other pools.  Moreover CO₂ equivalent valves showed the same trend as soil organic carbon which was 445.45t ha^-1 maximum and 9.79t ha^-1 minimum value sequestered in the soils. Comparatively, the lowest carbon stock is found in dead litter pool while the highest carbon stock found in soil pool i.e., soil pool 61.19%, above ground biomass pool 28.09 %, below ground biomass pool 5.62 % and dead litter pool 5.10 %  which is in conformity with the already established knowledge. Thus, Undertaking different studies considering such issues have paramount importance for carbon trade, climate change mitigation and fund attraction. Consequently, intensifying indigenous knowledge for biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and urban greening option is very important in enhancing carbon sequestration potentials.

Key words: Biomass, Carbon stock, Carbon Stock equivalent, DBH, Gullele Botanical Garden