Carbon Stock Estimation in Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) Stands of Selected Forest Reserves in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Sammendrag

The assessment of carbon stock in forests has gained global attention in view of its roles in sequestering atmospheric carbon. The carbon stock of teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) stands was estimated in a total of twenty 20x20 m plots randomly laid in Aramoko and Ikere Forest Reserves (FRs) in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The diameter at breast height (dbh) was measured for each tree. An allometric equation was adopted to estimate biomass and subsequently carbon for the study locations. The biomass per hectare and carbon per hectare were 625.25 kg and 312.63 kg; and 580.25 kg and 290.13 kg for Aramoko and Ikere FRs respectively. Student’s t-test revealed significance (p≤0.05) for number of trees per hectare and basal area per hectare for the FRs but not for diameter at breast height. The estimated highest number of trees per hectare was 1,025 and 600 in Aramoko and Ikere FRs respectively but the least number was 375 trees per hectare in both reserves. The highest basal area and least basal area values were 23.97 and 10.11 m2; and 11.64 and 6.66 m2 in Aramoko and Ikere Forest Reserves respectively. Local and global benefits will ensue if carbon stock in the locations is increased by growing more trees