CARBON STOCKS OF NEEM TREE ( Azadirachta indica A. Juss IN DIFFERENT URBAN LAND USE AND LAND COVER TYPES IN NIAMEY CITY, NIGER, WEST AFRICA

Abstract

Urban trees play a crucial role in carbon offset. Nevertheless, much attention has been focused on natural trees role in a tmospheric carbon reduction. Specifically, in Niger, the estimation of carbon stock of urban trees remains unexplored areas for climat e change mitigation. The objective of the paper was to estimate carbon stock of Azadirachta indica in Niamey. We assessed the structure and carbon stocks of neem trees across urban land use and land cover types using non destructive method. We measured 853 (DBH 5 cm) stems w ithin 102 plots over 19.41 ha. The mean and standard error of neem structural characteristics were de nsity 48±9.06 stem s /ha, basal area was 5.23±0.93 m 2 /ha, tree co ver was 26.84±4.48%. Neem tree structural characteristics varied significantly across land use and land cover types (P = 000.1). Big stems (40 > cm) contributed about 72% to the total abovegro und biomass. The mean carbon density was 24.17±3.50 t/ha. While the highest carbon stock was observed in commercial areas (67.05±27.49 t/ha), the second lowest carbon stock was in administrative areas (14.04±2.71 t/ha). Neem trees should be accounted for i n urban land use planning and national biomass carbon inventory. These results complement the international tree carbon dataset and reference level from Sahel city for climate change mitigation. Keywords: Sahel, urban forest, climate change mitigation 1. Introduction