Loice M. A. Omoro, Mike Starr, Petri K. E. Pellikka. (2013). Tree biomass and soil carbon stocks in indigenous forests in comparison to plantations of exotic species in the Taita Hills of Kenya. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 2 article id 935. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.935

Keywords: biomass; carbon stocks; soil carbon; Eastern Arc Montane forest; exotic tree species; indigenous forest

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Carbon (C) densities of the tree biomass and soil (0–50 cm) in indigenous forest and plantations of eucalyptus, cypress and pine in the Taita Hills, Kenya were determined and compared. The cypress and pine plantations were about 30-years-old and eucalyptus plantations about 50-years-old. Biomass C densities were estimated from breast height diameter and wood density using allometric functions developed for tropical species and an assumed C content of 50%. Belowground biomass C densities were estimated using root:shoot biomass ratios. Soil organic C (SOC) densities were calculated from measured organic carbon contents (0–20 and 20–50 cm layers) and modelled bulk density values. Mean total biomass C and SOC densities for indigenous forest were greater than those of the plantations, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05) in the cases of cypress and pine biomass and pine SOC. The correlation between biomass C and SOC densities was nearly significant in the case of indigenous forest, but negative. Biomass C densities were not significantly correlated with mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature or potential evapotranspiration, but pine biomass C densities were significantly correlated to actual evapotranspiration. SOC densities were more strongly correlated to mean annual precipitation than biomass C densities, but only significantly so in the case of pine. Neither biomass C nor SOC densities were correlated to plant available water capacity of the soil. Indigenous forest SOC densities were significantly correlated to soil clay contents, but negatively. Indigenous forests sequester more C in biomass and soil than do 30 to 50-year-old plantations of exotics, but it remains unclear if this is an intrinsic difference between indigenous forest and plantations of exotics or because of insufficient time for SOC levels in plantations to recover after clearance of original indigenous forest.

Omoro, Viikki Tropical Resources Institute, Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27 (Latokartanonkaari 7), FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: loice.omoro@helsinki.fi
Starr, Department of Forest Sciences, P. O. Box 27 (Latokartanonkaari 7), FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: mike.starr@helsinki.fi
Pellikka, Department of Geosciences and Geography, P. O. Box 64 (Gustaf Hällströminkatu 2), FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: petri.pellikka@helsinki.fi

Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.

If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.

Contents alert

Your selected articles
Send to email

Uusitalo J., Ala-Ilomäki J. (2013) The significance of above-ground biomass, moistu.. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 3 article id 993 (remove) | Edit comment

Magnussen S., (2013) An assessment of three variance estimators for t.. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 1 article id 925 (remove) | Edit comment

Finnish Society of Forest Science ., (1991) A seminar on development of forest scientific pu.. Silva Fennica vol. 25 no. 1 article id 5439 (remove) | Edit comment

Holopainen V., Nyyssönen A. et al. (1984) The 75th Anniversary volume of the Society of Fo.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 190 article id 7645 (remove) | Edit comment

Jalkanen R., Hicks S. et al. (2008) Past pollen production reconstructed from needle.. Silva Fennica vol. 42 no. 4 article id 230 (remove) | Edit comment

Heikurainen Leo., (1980) Drainage condition and tree stands on peatlands .. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 167 article id 7614 (remove) | Edit comment

Palo M., (1974) Goal-setting for Finnish forest research policy .. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 142 article id 7576 (remove) | Edit comment

Ojansuu R., Henttonen H. (1983) Estimation of the local values of monthly mean t.. Silva Fennica vol. 17 no. 2 article id 5183 (remove) | Edit comment

Silvola J., Ahlholm U. (1996) Effects of CO2 concentration on the nutrition of.. Silva Fennica vol. 30 no. 2–3 article id 5589 (remove) | Edit comment

Paavilainen E., (1967) Book review: Crop Responses to Water at Differen.. Silva Fennica vol. 1 no. 4 article id 4758 (remove) | Edit comment

Mandre M., Klõseiko J. et al. (1996) Assessment of CO2 fluxes and effects of possible.. Silva Fennica vol. 30 no. 2–3 article id 5593 (remove) | Edit comment

Lakari O. J., (1920) Activities of Finnish Society of Forest Sciences.. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 14 no. 5 article id 7038 (remove) | Edit comment

Silfverberg K., (1995) Forest regeneration on nutrient-poor peatlands: .. Silva Fennica vol. 29 no. 3 article id 5557 (remove) | Edit comment

Follow @SilvaFennica