Analysis of Species Richness Variability, Spatial Distribution, and Carbon Stock in Okalma Natural Forest Reserve, Sudan

Abstract

Forests play a significant function in global carbon sequestration and mitigation, yet the dynamics of species dominance related to carbon storage remain underexplored. This study bridged this gap by analyzing the species richness variability, spatial distribution, and carbon stock in Okalma Natural Forest Reserve, across 46 sample plots systematically distributed in the reserve. The study findings highlighted the importance of Okalma forest as it hosts 30 tree species belonging to 12 diversified families. Fabaceae and Combretaceae emerged as the most prevalent families, contributing to 53.4% of the forest’s composition. Regeneration status assessments revealed that 30.0% of species had no regeneration, 40.0% had poor regeneration, and only 3.3% showed excellent regeneration. Acacia senegal, Acacia seyal, Balanites aegyptiaca, Combretum aculeatum, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Sterculia setigera, and Ziziphus spina-christi were among the most frequent species. A. senegal and A. seyal, despite having smaller DBH, displayed higher tree density, and thus a significant carbon stock contribution. The study concludes that Okalma Natural Forest Reserve, with unique carbon storage patterns, emphasizes the significance of dominant species in determining a forest’s overall carbon sequestration potential, which can be used as an indicator for forest health and resilience. The study recommended that it is essential to prioritize the conservation of dominant species like A. senegal and A. seyal due to their substantial carbon sequestration potential. The findings underscore the necessity for region-specific research on forest carbon dynamics. The revelation that tree density is a stronger predictor of carbon stock has significant implications for future research and forest conservation approaches. Emphasizing dominant species and understanding forest-specific dynamics will be pivotal in global efforts to combat climate change and the anthropogenic-based disturbances.