Estimation of above ground carbon stock of different land cover types in Namasagali sub county.

Abstract

This study on assessment of aboveground carbon stock in different land cover types of agriculture and forestry was carried out in Namasagali Sub County. Forests sequester and store more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem and natural 'brake' on climate change. When forests are cleared or degraded, their stored carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (C02). According to the Kyoto Protocol, land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF) are recognized as Serving the role of carbon source and sink in relation to a change in land cover and carbon stocks. It also influences the amount of biomass and carbon stored in vegetation (Ipcc et al., 2019). The main objective of the study was to estimate the above ground carbon stocks in different land cover types. This was achieved by, assessing the biomass in a plot of 50 m*50 m established in all forests and all the tree Stands within the chosen plots while measuring tree diameter for all qualified trees in the sampled plots with consideration of the DBH while in agriculture land cover, maize stalks were collected and weighed. The biomass was converted to carbon using the form factor “carbon = 50% of the biomass in trees and 0.45^ (19). In this study, it was found out that carbon stock was highest in forest land cover especially under eucalyptus plantation and least in agriculture, maize in particular. It was also confirmed through hypothesis testing there is significant variation in carbon stock capacity among different land cover types, where the overall Prob > chi2 0.0007. The study concludes that there was a variation in carbon pools in different land-cover types in Namasagali where ABGC stock estimated was highest in forestry ranging from eucalyptus plantation to agro-forestry land-cover and least in agriculture, maize in particular. However, it was realized in the study that the dry mass of maize stored very low carbon content because much of the carbon was accumulated in soil to form Soil organic carbon (SOC) during maturity of maize. However, it emphasized that planting of more fast growing tree species such as eucalyptus to increase on the terrestrial carbon sink capacity and need for establishment of schemes such as payment of ecosystem services (PES), carbon markets such, that the individuals practicing conservation are rewarded. Keywords: Carbon stock, Land cover, Aboveground, Biomass