Determining parameters to assess carbon stocks in forest ecosystems with Cedrus atlantica Manetti (Atlas Cedar) in Morocco: specific and generic methods

Quantifying the amounts of carbon stored in forest ecosystems and their CO2 equivalent is essential to make reliable estimations of the contribution of this carbon sink in limiting greenhouse gas emissions. With this study, we aimed, firstly, to evaluate the volume of standing wood through field surveys in the central Middle Atlas zone, and thus to estimate the quantity of carbon contained in the aerial and root parts while determining the specific Biomass Conversion and Expansion Factor (BCEF) of Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica Manetti) in this region. Secondly, we compared our results with those obtained using the generic parameters issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2006. Standing volume and above-ground biomass were determined using volume tables and biomass models developed from direct measurements of dry weight and volume taken from 30 sample trees in each forest in the study area. Volume and aboveground biomass were estimated, respectively, at 3,321,284 m(3) and 1,179,188 t dry matter. The BCEF, determined by the ratio of volume to biomass, was found to be 036 tMS/m3, which is lower than the IPCC estimation (0.55 tMS/m3). The carbon fraction (CF), resulting from calcination of the wood samples taken, is around 0.5643 tC/tMS, which is higher than the IPCC figure (0.51 tC/tMS). Finally, the quantity of carbon contained in the ecosystem studied is 858,387 t of dry matter compared to 1,201,789 t estimated with the IPCC parameters.