Variation in carbon concentration and wood density for five most commonly grown native tree species in central highlands of Ethiopia: The case of Chilimo dry Afromontane forest

ABSTRACT

Information regarding carbon concentration and wood density are lacking in Chilimo dry Afromontane forest.

The aim of this study was to estimate carbon concentration and wood density for Allophyllus abyssinicus, Olea europaea, Olinia rochetiana, Rhus glutinosa, and Scolopia theifolia. A total of 105, 30–50 mm thick wood discs were collected and oven dried at 102°C and 67°C to constant weight, chopped and finally grinded into 0.2 mm with a grinding mill. Carbon concentration was analyzed using the ash method, while wood density was estimated using the water displacement method. The highest carbon concentration (57.12%) was found for O. rochetiana, however, the lowest carbon concentration (56.43%) was found for A. abyssinicus. Stem parts had higher carbon concentration (56.98%) than branch (56.74%) and leave (54.53%) parts. O. europaea exhibited the highest wood density (0.67 g cm⁻³) value than other species. However, the lowest wood density (0.42 g cm⁻³) was exhibited for A. abyssinicus. Wood density was also showed a decreasing trend along with increases in stem height and maximum wood density (0.62 g cm⁻³) was found under stump position, while, the minimum wood density (0.4 g cm⁻³) was found under tree commercial height.

KEYWORDS:

• Chilimo forest
• logistic model
• native trees species
• plant parts
• and stem position

Abbreviations

AA: Allophyllus abyssinicus, db: diameter at the stump height, dbh: diameter at breast height, ba: basal area, br27: biomass of thick branches (2–7 cm), br2: biomass of thin branches (≤2 cm) plus leaves, C: carbon, OE: Olea europaea, h1: stump height, h2: stem height at 1m, h3: stem height at 2 m, h4: stem height at 3 m, h5: stem height at 4 m, h6: stem height at5m, h7: stem at commercial height, hb: branching height, hc: commercial height, ht: total height, OR: Olinia rochetiana, RG: Ruth glutinosa, ST: Scolopia theifolia, Spp: species and WD: wood density,

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Tekle Hundessa staff of the forestry research process of Holetta Agricultural Research Centre for their contribution in data collection in the field and sample preparation in the laboratory. The Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) for funding the fellowship under extraneous Program III-B as well as a partial waiver of the fieldwork.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo [4-19-1].