Abstract:
The forest ecosystem is an important carbon sink and source containing majority of the above ground terrestrial
organic carbon. The status of Tara Gedam forest is declining due to human activities. Sustainable management
strategies are necessary to make this forest as carbon sink rather than source. To assess the forest’s carbon source
potential, dry biomass is quantified since 50% its part is carbon. This study aims to estimate the biomass and carbon
stocks of individual trees based on above and belowground biomass estimation models. Simple random sampling
method was carried out for collecting the biophysical data for estimating above and belowground biomass of trees.
Diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured at 1.3 m height above the ground. Sample plots were laid along line
transects based on altitudinal variation of the study area. A randomly sampling plot of (10 m × 20 m) in each site was
established to take vegetation samples. The soil samples were taken from soil depth up to 30 cm at the interval of 10
cm. The collected samples were burnt at 105°C for 24 hours in muffle furnace to calculate carbon content. Likewise, bulk
density and soil organic carbon were obtained from the soil samples in the laboratory. The result revealed that, Cordia
africana Lam. had the highest above ground biomass, 1799.284 ton/ha and below ground biomass, 359.858 ton/ha
among other tree species in the study forest. The carbon sequestration in the soil with depth ranged from 0 cm to 30 cm
was found to be 1006.763 ton/ha. 413.9536 ton/ha and 2681.292 ton/ha was the minimum and maximum CO2 values
sequestered in soil carbon pool in the study area, respectively. A systematic approach for the inclusion of climate change
risk management and adaptation is developed and guidelines for the design of ‘climate-change-proof’ afforestation,
reforestation and deforestation avoidance projects are proposed
