Carbon Stocks Assessment in a Disturbed and Undisturbed Mangrove Forest in Ghana

Joshua Adotey (), Emmanuel Acheampong, Denis Worlanyo Aheto and John Blay
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Joshua Adotey: Centre for Coastal Management, Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast PMB TF0494, Ghana
Emmanuel Acheampong: Centre for Coastal Management, Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast PMB TF0494, Ghana
Denis Worlanyo Aheto: Centre for Coastal Management, Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast PMB TF0494, Ghana
John Blay: Centre for Coastal Management, Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast PMB TF0494, Ghana

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: Mangroves and other blue carbon ecosystems have long been recognised for their carbon sink function, yet the organic carbon stocks of mangroves in many countries in Africa remain to be assessed. This study evaluates the impact of traditional forest conservation on long-term carbon sequestration in a non-degraded (Amanzule) and a degraded (Kakum) mangrove forest system in Ghana (West Africa). The amount of carbon stored in mangrove trees was estimated from diameter-based allometric equations. Tree (above- and below-ground) carbon was ~34-fold higher in the Amanzule forest (mean = 0.89 ± 0.10 t/ha) than in the Kakum forest (mean = 0.026 ± 0.019 t/ha). Soil carbon density was estimated as organic carbon and bulk density at specific depths in both forests. Soil organic carbon density was ~5-fold higher in the Amanzule forest (mean = 2935.79 ± 266 t/ha) than the Kakum forest (mean = 554.01 ± 83 t/ha). The variation in the vertical distribution of soil carbon was not significant in either forest ( F = 0.57; p > 0.05). These findings underscore the role of traditional conservation on mangrove carbon stocks and the need to consider the governance of coastal ecosystems when estimating blue carbon.

Keywords: mangrove forest; stock carbon; Ghana; Kakum; Amanzule (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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