Amount of Soil Carbon Stock within Primary and Secondary Forest in the North of the Republic of Congo

Abstract

The amount of carbon stock under different land type’s cover was studied in the north east of Republic of Congo. Samples of soil from the surface 0-15 cm horizon were collected under 12 land types classes. Results showed that the lowest soil C was noted in flooded primary forests of Lophira alata Banks ex Gaertu. With an amount of 17.21 t C ha-1, and the highest values were noted in the savanna of Jardinea congoensis with an amount of 117.6 t C ha-1 and the primary forest of Guibourtia demeusei (Harms) Léon. With 116.16 t C ha-1 (p < 0.05).
Our study revealed the importance of carbon stock in different type of land in tropical area to reduce the emission of CO2 from the conversion of forestland to another type of land.