Aboveground tree carbon stock dynamics in the Central and Upper River Regions of The Gambia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67303/jcit.v1i1.32Keywords:
Carbon stock, forest loss, land use change, InVEST model, cropland expansion, grassland degradation, carbon sequestration, The Gambia, CRR, URRAbstract
Abstract
This study assessed modeled aboveground tree carbon in the Central River Region (CRR) and Upper River Region (URR) of The Gambia across forest, grassland, cropland, and settlement classes. Tree inventories from 20 plots per land cover class in each region informed class-specific carbon densities. Land cover maps for 2002, 2013, and 2024 were analyzed with the InVEST carbon model, with a scenario projected to 2034.
In the first set of regional model-output tables, CRR aboveground carbon decreased from 32,531.10 Mg C in 2002 to 30,167.11 Mg C in 2024, whereas URR increased from 15,698.39 to 26,874.60 Mg C. Forest-class carbon declined in both regions, while settlement- and cropland-class totals increased. The projected 2034 totals are 29,283.22 Mg C in CRR and 31,395.42 Mg C in URR. The source also reports incompatible alternative values, which require reconciliation before submission.
These are conditional modeled estimates based on fixed carbon densities for each land cover class. They should not be interpreted as measured carbon fluxes. The results point to a need to conserve remaining forest and to assess how mapped land cover changes affect aboveground carbon.
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