Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of Bamboo Carbon Stocks Regulation in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

ABSTRACT

In the Western Highlands of Cameroon, natural ecosystems have been significantly degraded, fostering other land-use types like bamboo stands. However, knowledge of the potential contribution of bamboo to climate change mitigation within the framework of payment for ecosystem services remains limited. This study sought to identify bamboo richness and estimate carbon stocks of dominant bamboo species in the context of payment for ecosystem services. Data collection combined information from local informants and biomass data of the main bamboo species. Bamboo biomass was collected by destructive method. The results obtained allow the identification of nine bamboo taxa in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. We found for Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys aurea 13,330 ± 7718 and 38,010 ± 3361 culm ha−1, respectively. Total carbon stocks of bamboo estimated at 122.71 tC ha⁻¹ for B. vulgaris and 125.41 tC ha⁻¹ for P. aurea were not significantly different between bamboo species (Kruskal–Wallis test, p = .908). For bamboo areas in the Western Highlands, the monetary value of ecosystem services linked to bamboo carbon stocks is 1503 ± 624 USD ha⁻¹ ranging from 1486 to 1519 USD ha⁻¹ depending on the bamboo species. The monetary value of bamboo carbon stocks potential should help decision makers to consider adopting bamboo species as one of the sustainable strategies to restore degraded ecosystems.

KEYWORDS:

• Carbon stocks
• bamboo richness
• payment for ecosystem services
• Western Highlands
• Cameroon

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted in partnership with the African Nature Conservation (ANC), Multipurpose Agricultural Research Station at Bertoua (IRAD-Bertoua), and the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR-CARO). Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the Conservation Action Research Network (CARN 2020), which provided financial assistance for data collection. We also thank INBAR for providing preliminary data for the Western Highlands of Cameroon, specifically, the areas with high bamboo density which guided our field survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Conservation Action Research Network (CARN 2020).