Carbon Sequestration Potential of Shea Trees (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) in Parklands under Two Soil Types (Ferralsol and Cambisol) in Northern Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess carbon sequestration potential of shea trees in four shea parks in Northern Côte d'Ivoire to fight against climate change. The methodology used consisted in the delimitation of 2 ha of plot in shea parkland located in Ferkéssédougou, Ouangolodougou, Boundiali and Tengrela. On each plot delimited within these parklands, forests inventories were carried out and stem diameter at 1.30 m aboveground (DBH ≥ 5 cm) of the shea trees were measured. The dendrometric data collected made it possible to elaborate the structure of the shea trees in parkland, to estimate the biomass and the stocks of sequestered carbon. The results showed that shea populations, irrespective of the study site, showed a "reversed J" diameter distribution with decreasing individuals. The spatial distribution of the population of shea trees in Boundiali and Ferkéssédougou parklands is regular while it is aggregative in Ouangolodougou and Tengrela parklands. The spatial distribution of shea trees depends on the type of soils. Of all the sites that are mostly bushy savannas, sequestered CO 2 equivalents are high: 70.83 t.ha-1 at Boundiali, 49.47 t.ha-1 at Ferkéssédougou, 215 t.ha-1 at Ouangolodougou and 130 t.ha-1 at Tengrela. This study shows that agroforestry is to be promoted in Northern Côte d'Ivoire through the protection of shea tree parklands that limit greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, especially in Northern Côte d'Ivoire. This will certainly facilitate Côte d'Ivoire's access to the carbon market.