Assessment of carbon stock potential of parkland agroforestry practice: the case of Minjar Shenkora; North Shewa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: The anthropogenic global climate change has negative impacts on various sectors and communities who particularly rely on rain-fed agriculture. Parkland agroforestry practice can contribute to mitigate and adapt to the forthcoming climate change through carbon sequestration. However, empirical studies on carbon stocks potential of parklands agroforestry practices. Methodology: By using two-stage stratified random sampling technique, 4 kebeles from two agro ecology were selected and 8 farms/plots/ of 40 m*40 m sample size were selected from each kebele for the vegetation inventory. Tree species-specific allometric equations were used to determine carbon stock potential of parkland agroforestry practice. Results: The result reveal that, AGC, BGC, SOC and Total Carbon have significant variation (p < 0.05) across kebeles. The mean total carbon stock of Bolo Giorgis, Bolo Slase, Agirat and Korma Agere is 48.87 Mg C ha− 1, 58.21 Mg C ha− 1, 57.81 Mg C ha− 1and 73.71 Mg C ha− 1; respectively. On average, carbon stock of parklands practice in Minjar shenkora was 59.65 Mg C ha− 1. Conclusions: The parkland agroforestry practice has a large potential to deliver regulating ecosystem services like opportunities to mitigate the impending climate-changing through carbon sequestration and increasing the resilience of the agricultural system at Minjar shenkora woreda. To enhance the multiple ecosystem services of the parkland agroforestry practices in sustainable way: local by-laws should be strengthened to avoid illegal tree cutting and free grazing.