Diversity and Carbon Storage Potential of Farmland Trees in Mattu District, Southwestern Ethiopia

Trees on farmland contribute significantly to conserving biodiversity and combating climate change by sequestering carbon. However, the diversity of these species and their potential for carbon storage in biomass and soil have not been extensively studied. This study aimed to assess the diversity of trees and estimate their carbon storage capacity in Mattu District, southwestern Ethiopia. The research was based on a tree inventory across 24 plots of dimension 40 m × 50 m, and the soil was taken from subplots of 1 m × 1 m within the main plots. The study identified 21 tree species from 13 families, revealing high species diversity (H´ = 2.67) and evenness (E = 0.83). The two most dominant tree species were Cordia africana and Croton macrostachyus. The mean carbon stocks were 183.1 tons/ha in aboveground biomass, 49.8 tons/ha in belowground biomass, and 195 tons/ha in soil organic carbon. These values equate to a total carbon storage of 427.9 tons/ha, equivalent to sequestering 1,570.4 tons of carbon dioxide. These results emphasize the crucial role of scattered trees on farmland in mitigating climate change as carbon sinks. The study strongly recommends that the district agricultural office prioritize protecting these tree species from further degradation.