Carbon Stock Estimation In Secondary Forest And Gallery Forest Of Congo Using Allometric Equations

Abstract The research was aimed to estimate the carbon stocks of above-and below-ground biomass in the secondary and gallery forest of Lesio-louna Republic of Congo. The methodology of Allometric equations was used to measure the carbon stock of Lesio-louna natural forest. We were based precisely on the model II which is also called non-destructive method or indirect method of measuring carbon stock. We used parameters such as the Diameter at Breast Height DBH and wood density. The research was done with 6 circular plots each 1256m2 with a distance of 100m between each plot depending on the topography of the site of installation of these plots. The six studied plots were divided into two sites which are Inkou Forest Island Secondary forest and Blue Lake Forest Gallery forest. Thus in the 6 plots with 77 trees there were three plots in Inkou Forest Island site and three plots in Blue Lake Forest site. The results of this study showed that the average carbon stock in 6 plots of the study was 130.9908333 t C ha for above-ground biomass AGB and 30.78283179 t C ha for below-ground biomass BGB. In this forest ecosystem the average carbon stock of AGB was more important in secondary forest compared to gallery forest with respectively 135.9763333 t C ha against 126.0053 t C ha. Also the average carbon stock of BGB was higher in secondary forest 31.9544076 t C ha compared to gallery forest 29.61126 t C ha. This study shows that the species density is higher in the secondary forest 3 plots with 44 trees compared to the gallery forest 3 plots with 33 trees. This research indicates that the forests component in the study area could appoint as an important carbon reservoir and can also play a key role in climate change mitigation.