Land Use and Soil Carbon Sequestration in the Kou Watershed, Burkina Faso
Basirou Dembélé *
Nazi Boni University, Rural Development Institute/Natural Systems, Agricultural Production Systems, and Environmental Engineering Laboratory (Sy.N.A.I.E), 01 BP 1091 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso and Burkina Faso National Center of Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST) / National Institute of the Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA), Natural Resources and Agricultural Innovations Laboratory, BP 910, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Jérôme T. Yaméogo
Nazi Boni University, Rural Development Institute/Natural Systems, Agricultural Production Systems, and Environmental Engineering Laboratory (Sy.N.A.I.E), 01 BP 1091 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Alain P. K. Gomgnimbou
Burkina Faso National Center of Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST) / National Institute of the Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA), Natural Resources and Agricultural Innovations Laboratory, BP 910, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Osée W. Ouédraogo
Burkina Faso National School of Water and Forests/Dindéresso, 01 BP 1105 Bobo 01, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Abdramane Sanon
Tenkodogo University/Thomas Sankara University (UTS), 12 BP 417 Ouagadougou 12, Saaba, Burkina Faso.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Soil organic carbon is an indicator that must be considered when assessing the sustainability of agroecosystems.
Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the impact of different land use patterns on soil organic carbon stock and the contribution of this component to climate change mitigation.
Methodology: soil samples were taken from depths of 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm along diagonal transects of study plots, with seventy-two composite samples collected in total.
Results: Soils in the riparian zone (23.77%) and irrigated crops (25.73%) were found to be the richest in clay. Only clay content was positively correlated with soil depth (r=0.104). The Kruskal-Wallis test shows that the amount of carbon varies significantly (p-values between 2.510-4 and 7.910-4) across land use/land cover classes (LULC). Wetland (28.91 ± 2.83 t/ha) and woody savannah (28.53 ± 4.24 t/ha) had the highest carbon stock, and shrub savannah had the lowest (12.77 ± 0.82 t/ha). The carbon stock at a depth of 0-15 cm exceeds that found at 15-30 cm. Over the 1,330.80 ha of the Kou River riparian buffer zone, the total atmospheric carbon sequestered in the soil was 119,833.27 metric tons of CO2.
Conclusion: The carbon sequestration capacity of the Kou River’s riparian zone is significant in the context of climate change mitigation.
Keywords: Soil granulometry, atmospheric carbon, climate change, Kou River