Forest structure and carbon stocks of Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, Nigeria

Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove demonstrates significant potential for carbon sequestration. Research reveals that old-growth forest (OF) areas within the grove exhibit higher tree species diversity and stem carbon stocks (0.12±0.00 Mg/ha), while re-growth forest (RF) areas show greater soil carbon stocks (0.90 Mg/ha). The study, which analyzed five 30×30 m² plots in both OF and RF, measured tree diameter distributions, stem volumes, and soil carbon content at three depths. Old-growth forests displayed a reverse J-shaped diameter distribution, indicating a more developed stand structure compared to the rotated sigmoid curve observed in re-growth areas. These findings highlight the grove's dual capacity for carbon mitigation—through both above-ground biomass in mature forests and below-ground soil carbon in regenerating areas.

Oladele, F. F., & Adesoji, J. T. (2020). Forest structure and carbon stocks of Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, Nigeria. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 12(1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.5897/ijbc2019.1304