Carbon Sequestration Potentials of Woody Plant Species in Makurdi Zoological Garden Benue State Nigeria

Aims: The aim of this study is to estimate the total carbon sequested by some Woody plant Species in Makurdi zoological garden and its contribution to climate change.

Study Design: Random sample plots of 100 m × 100 m were located in the field using a Garmin GPS and simple allometric procedures using standard carbon inventory principles and techniques that are based on data collection and analysis of carbon accumulating in the above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, and soil carbon using verifiable modern methods were adopted.

Place and Duration of Study: Field experiment was carried out at the Makurdi zoological garden, Benue State, Nigeria between September and October 2018.

Methodology: The non-destructive method was used with the view to determine the above ground biomass (AGB), below ground biomass (BGB), Estimate the above ground carbon (AGC), below ground carbon (BGC), Total Carbon Content (TCC) and also to estimate the Above ground C02 and below ground C02 and the total C02 Sequestered in the study area.

Results: A total number of 27 species of trees belonging to 16 different families were found in randomly selected sample plots. The diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured at 1.3 m from ground level with a good measuring tape while heights of plants were measured using haga altimeter. The result showed that a total of 3331.05 ton/ha of C02 was estimated to have been sequestered using the non-destructive field measurement.

Conclusion: Total average standing biomass of various tree species was calculated to be 907.6395 tons/ha whereas the total average carbon sequestered was 302.6918 tons/ha. Carbon sequestration capacity of trees increased as the age of trees increases. Therefore it can be concluded that the older trees have higher carbon content than younger trees hence, they are reservoirs of carbon.