Tree species diversity, volume yield, biomass and carbon sequestration in urban forests in two Nigerian cities
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Tree species diversity, volume yield, biomass and carbon sequestration in urban forests in two Nigerian cities Aladesanmi Daniel Agbelade 1 & Jonathan C. Onyekwelu 2
# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Urban forests contribute greatly to the conservation of biodiversity and are able to store carbon in the same way as other forest ecosystems. This research investigated the diversity, volume yield, biomass and carbon sequestration of tree species in urban forests in two Nigerian cities (Port Harcourt and Ilorin) selected using simple random sampling. In Nigeria there is no record of quantitative assessment of carbon sequestration in urban forests. Biodiversity and growth data were obtained from about 20% of the built-up areas of the two cities. Non-destructive approach was used for above ground biomass estimation. Biomass data was used to quantify carbon stock to estimate the amount of carbon sequestrated by the urban forests in the two cities. The results revealed a total of 746 individual trees distributed among 37 species and 19 families in Port Harcourt, while 556 individual trees distributed among 46 species and 18 families in Ilorin urban forest. Shannon-Wiener diversity index for Port Harcourt was 3.39 while that of Ilorin was 3.61. The total carbon stored by the urban forest of Port Harcourt was estimated at 67,979.08 tons and Ilorin urban forest carbon stored was estimated at 91,512.49 tons. The average carbon density of the urban forest of Port Harcourt was estimated at 136.15 tons/ha and 7.82 tons/ha was estimated for Ilorin urban forest. Tree species diversity has greater impact on biomass accumulation which determines carbon sequestration and mitigation of harsh climatic conditions. Selection and planting the right species as avenue trees, building parks and gardens, urban landscaping can improve urban forest carbon sequestration and producing other urban forest ecosystem functions. Keywords Biomass . Carbon storage . Ecosystem functions . Species diversity . Urban forests
Introduction The impact of urbanization on the environment, species diversity and conservation can be positive or negative on the global climate (Golubiewski 2006). Urban forest is an integral component of the forest ecosystem which could generate significant ecosystem services such as offsetting carbon emission, removing air pollutants, regulating the micro environment and mitigating climate change (Fuwape and Onyekwelu 2011; Konijnendijk et al. 2006). Urban forest represents a valuable component of the vegetation cover of urban environment.
* Aladesanmi Daniel Agbelade [email protected] 1
Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria
2
Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems within their immediate environment. These in
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