| dc.description |
The possibility of global climate change, due
to increasing levels of CO 2 concentrations is
one of the key environmental concerns today,
and the role of terrestrial vegetation
management has received attention as a means
of mitigating carbon emissions and climate
change. In this study tree dimensions and
assessment of plant species composition were
used to quantify the potential of urban
ecosystems in acting as carbon sink and
mitigating climate change through carbon
assimilation and storage and the potential of
the system to
enhance biodiversity
conservation taking Morogoro Municipality as
a case study. Biomass/carbon models for trees
were developed and used to predict
biomass/carbon storage based on tree
diameters. The model was in the form B =
0.5927DBH 1.8316 (r 2 =0.91, P< 0.01). The
carbon content was computed as 50% of the
tree biomass. The tree carbon for Morogoro
municipality ranged from 4.63±3.39 to
21.18±12.41t km -1 length of ground surface
along roads and avenues. Newly established
areas seemed to have lower carbon storage
potential while areas established earlier have
highest carbon storage potential. About 36
different tree species growing/planted in the
Morogoro
municipal
were
identified,
dominated by Senna siamea, Azadirachta
indica, Polyalthia longifolia, Leucaena
leucocephala, Pithecelobium dulce and
Mangifera indica. Apart from being natural
amenity the tree species also act as CO 2 sink
through photosynthesis and areas of ex-situ
conservation of plant diversity. Urban forestry
can store large amount of carbon in addition to
biodiversity conservation especially where
they cover extensive areas like parks, gardens
and avenues managed over long periods, as is
the case in urban ecosystems. Improved
management of urban forests will likely improve
the potential for carbon storage by terrestrial
vegetation as a means of mitigating CO 2 emissions
and climate change as well as biodiversity
conservation. |
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