Above-ground carbon stock estimation in Nigerian forest vegetation: a review

Abstract

Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change by acting as significant carbon sinks. In Nigeria, the estimation of Aboveground Carbon Stocks (ACS) and Tree Cover Loss (TCL) in forest ecosystems is essential to understanding the country's contribution to global carbon sequestration efforts. This review paper explores the methods, challenges, and importance of ACS estimation in Nigerian forest Vegetation Zone (VZ) viz: Rain Forest (RF), Mangrove Swamp (MS), Sahel Savanna (ShS) Sudan Savanna (SuS), Guinea Savanna (GS) and Freshwater Swamp Forest (FSF). This paper implores the use of secondary data to highlight the spatial variability of ACS across different states and VZ in Nigeria, underscoring the need for targeted conservation policies. It was observed that the average TCL and ACS reduced from the year 2010 to 2022 across the VZ (RF: 10,222-7,944 Kha, and 1,016,667-794,444 tC/ha; MS: 15,200-12,600 Kha and 1,520,000-1,280,000 tC/ha; ShS: 3,250-2,250 Kha and 325,000-225,000 tC/ha; SuS: 3,000-2,000 Kha and 300,000-200,000 tC/ha; GS: 7,591-6,045 Kha and 754,545-595,455 tC/ha; and FSF: 10,667-9,000 Kha and 1,066,667-900,000 tC/ha). By synthesizing existing literature and data, this review provides insights into Nigeria’s role in the global carbon cycle and calls for further research using advanced technologies to enhance the accuracy of carbon stock estimations and to inform effective climate action.