Carbon stock potential of highland bamboo plantations in northwestern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, highland bamboo has been cultivated in various niches: farmlands, riverbanks, woodlot boundaries, and homesteads, and agroforestry systems. However, the biomass and carbon storage of potential of bamboo forests across niches is not well characterized in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate the biomass and carbon storage potential of highland bamboo plantations in northwestern Ethiopia. To this end, a total of 60 circular plots measuring 100 m(2) with a radius of 5.64 m were randomly established on the homestead, woodlot, and riverbank plantation niches to conduct the inventory. The biomass storage of bamboo was calculated based on previously published allometric equations. Biomass and carbon stock variations among age-classes and niches of bamboo forests were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and subsequent pairwise means comparisons of carbon stocks among niches were performed via post hoc Tukey test at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Results showed that the mean aboveground biomass (AGB) ranged from 150.18 – 191.42 Mg ha(−1) in the entire niches. The highest amount of AGB was stored in the homestead niche (191.42 Mg ha(−1)) followed by the woodlot (180.11 Mg ha(−1)) and riverbank niche (150.17 Mg ha(−1)), respectively. The highest carbon stock (111.56 Mg C ha(−1)) was found in the homestead niche while the smallest amount was recorded in the riverbank niche (87.52 Mg ha(−1)). The homestead bamboo plantation has the highest biomass storage due to the application of manure and natural fertilizer, regular harvesting and management of culms, and protection from illegal harvesting and grazing. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of bamboo plantations in climate change mitigation. Hence, bamboo plantation should be promoted; and natural resource management and forestry departments of the government, Universities, research centers, the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), and other partners should work with local communities to expand bamboo plantation on their homesteads and degraded lands. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13021-023-00224-2.