Afforestation of gramineous-woody savannah with cocoa agroforestry systems (cAFS) is a common farmer practice in Cameroon considered as sustainable. Nevertheless, the effects of afforestation of savannah with cAFS on soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover and content, and the factors controlling SOC accumulation and stabilization are unknown. SOC content at 0–10 cm soil layer, and SOC distribution in soil particle size fractions (0–20 μm fraction considered as mineral-associated organic carbon, MAOC; 50–2000 μm considered as particulate organic carbon, POC; and 20–50 μm), were compared in different systems settled on degraded savannah (orthic ferralsols). These systems included annual cropland (≈ 5 years old), cocoa monoculture (≈10 years old), and cAFS (from 20 to 60 years old) including different shade tree species such as Albizia adianthifolia, Canarium schweinfurthii, Dacryodes edulis, Milicia excelsa and Ceiba pentandra. Savannah and nearby secondary forest patches were also included in the design as controls. Soil 13C was analysed to investigate the soil carbon turnover after afforestation (C3 plants) of gramineous savannah (C4 plants).
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00758Altmetric score:
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Publication year
2024
Authors
Fonkeng, E.E.; Chevallier, T.; Sauvadet, M.; Enock, S.; Rakotondrazafy, N.; Chapuis-Lardy, L.; Takoutsing, B.; Fritz, O.T.; Harmand, J-M.
Language
English
Keywords
soil carbon, isotopes, afforestation, cocoa, monoculture, tree species, carbon sinks, soil organic carbon, ferrasols
Geographic
Cameroon
