Carbon stock potential of Odo Bulu Forest, south-eastern Ethiopia

Afromontane forests in Ethiopia are critical ecosystems for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation, yet their carbon storage capacity remains largely unquantified. This study assessed the carbon stocks in living biomass, litter, and soil organic matter within the Odo Bulu Forest across an altitudinal gradient. Data were collected from 80 systematically established main plots (20m × 20m) along 11 transect lines , with five nested subplots (1m × 1m) laid out in each main plot for representative litter and soil sampling. Biomass was estimated using allometric equations, while soil and litter samples were analyzed for carbon content using laboratory methods. Results indicated a high woody stem density of 28,605 stems ha -1 , primarily driven by dense stands of highland bamboo ( Yushania alpina ). The total ecosystem carbon stock was estimated at 493.74 ± 69.05 t C ha -1 . The total forest area (18,700 ha) stores an estimated 9.23 million tonnes of carbon, representing a total potential emission reduction of approximately 33. 88 Mt CO 2 equivalent . The largest pools were soil organic carbon (322.11 ± 41. 78 t C ha -1 ) and above-ground biomass, which stored 127.79 ± 20. 98 t C ha -1 from an average of 271.89 t ha -1 of biomass . Below-ground biomass was estimated at 73.41 t ha -1 (storing 34.51 ± 5. 67 t C ha -1 ), while the litter pool contained 25.7 t ha -1 of biomass (storing 9.33 ± 0. 62 t C ha -1 ). Despite fluctuations in these large stocks, statistical analyses indicated no significant variation in carbon stock distribution across the altitudinal strata. This study confirms the Odo Bulu Forest's critical role as a nationally significant carbon reservoir, underscoring the urgent need for robust conservation and management strategies to protect these vital stocks from deforestation and degradation.