Abstract:
gricultural landscapes had been becoming important for biodiversity conservation and reducing carbon
emissions besides forest areas. However, the environmental roles of traditional agroforestry practices and
their woody species diversity, management, and C stock are not well studied. This study examines woody
species diversity, management practices and C stocks of traditional AFP in Libokemkem district. Multistage
sampling was used for the selection of study sites and households. The data collection employed multiple
methods such as woody species inventory, Focus Group Discussion, key informant interviews (KI), and a
household (HH) survey in three purposively selected Kebeles. A total of 30 KIs, and woody species
management data were collected from 98 purposive and randomly selected HHs. From the 98 HHs the farms
of 72 HHs (12 HHs from each village and 4 HHs from each wealth class) were stratified randomly was
selected for woody species inventory.Data were collected, From a total of 188 quadrate (10m x 10 m) and
(25m x20m) was used for woody species inventory for diameter ≥ 5cm laid out randomly for each practice of
the HG and STF AFP respectively. Major quadrates were sub-divided in to fiver, (1m x 1 m) and (5m x5m)
at four corners and in the center were laid for sapling and seedling counting of the HG and STF AFP
respectively. From each agroforestry farm 10% sampling intensity plots per hectare were taken randomly.
The collected data for management and preferences related was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2007 and
SPSS Version.20.respectivily. Diversity indices for woody plant diversity and allometric equation for carbon
stock estimation were employed. A total of 71 woody species belonging to 39 families were recorded of
which 69% and 31 % were trees and shrubs respectively, whereas 80% of the species were indigenous and
20% were exotic in the study area agroforestry practices. The most common management practices of this
study area such as pollarding, Pruning, digging (cultivation), watering, protecting from animals, lopping,
coppicing, and fencing. The independent T-test revealed a statistically significant difference between HG
AFP in across agro ecologies in Shannon diversity (P=0.03) and Evenness (P=0.04) .Similarly, significant
difference was observed between the two Agroecologies STF AFP in Shannon diversity (P=0.031) and
evenness (P=0.045) showed. HG in the two agro ecologies show significant difference in TB production
(p=0.045) and carbon stock (p=0.021). Similarly, significant difference was observed between the two
Agroecologies STF AFP in TB production (p=0.042) and carbon stock (p=0.02).From the findings
highlighted that potential role of traditional AFP to improve biodiversity conservation, and C stocks.
Further studies on continuous assessment of TB and C stocks to get reasonable predictions, woody species
≤5 cm DBH also have a potential for carbon stocks so further study on these components is to provide
reliable information issues are recommended
