Assessing the Impact of Degradation on Carbon Storage by Rhizophora racemosa in South-East Periphery of Azagny National Park (Côte d’Ivoire)
BOHOUSSOU Crystel Natacha *
Botany Teaching and Research Unit (UPR), Laboratory of Natural Environments and Conservation of Biodiversity, UFR Biosciences, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, 22 BP 582 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
DIBI N'da Hyppolite
Botany Teaching and Research Unit (UPR), Laboratory of Natural Environments and Conservation of Biodiversity, UFR Biosciences, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, 22 BP 582 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Center for Research and Application in Remote Sensing (CURAT), Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, 23 BP 4954 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
YAO Kouadio Jacques-Edouard
Laboratory of Agricultural Improvement and Production, UFR Agroforestry, Jean Lorougnon Guédé University, Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
TOURE Tophangui Guy-Pacôme
Laboratory of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute, BP 1093 Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
KONAN Kouakou Séraphin
Laboratory of Agricultural Improvement and Production, UFR Agroforestry, Jean Lorougnon Guédé University, Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire and Laboratory of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute, BP 1093 Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
KOUADIO Kouassi
Botany Teaching and Research Unit (UPR), Laboratory of Natural Environments and Conservation of Biodiversity, UFR Biosciences, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, 22 BP 582 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study assesses the carbon sequestration capacity of Rhizophora racemosa in mangroves located on the southeastern periphery of Azagny National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. In the global context of combating climate change, mangroves, although they occupy a relatively small area, play a crucial role as carbon sinks. The methodology adopted is based on measurements of above-ground and below-ground biomass in several types of mangroves (conserved, degraded, slightly degraded and islands). These measurements were carried out using appropriate sampling plots and the allometric equation of Kauffman (2010). A total of 67 plots were established throughout the study area on a total area of 1517.97177 m2/ha. In this analysis, the data being quantitative values with several variables, the comparison of the average values of the different parameters measured in the biotopes was carried out either by an ANOVA test (Analysis of variance) or by a Kruskal-Wallis test.
The results indicate that conserved mangroves have the highest storage capacity, accounting 39% of the total carbon stock), followed by slightly degraded (30%), degraded (25%) and islands (6%) mangroves. The entire study area sequesters approximately 23,486.79 tCO₂/ha. These results show that mangrove degradation significantly reduces their carbon sequestration capacity, highlighting the importance of their conservation to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Keywords: Carbon stock, Rhizophora racemosa, Azagny National Park, Côte d’Ivoire