Tropical Forests in African Mountain Stores More Carbon Than We Thought; But It's Disappearing Fast

Scientists researching tropical forests in Africa's mountains were astounded to learn how much carbon they store and how quickly some of these woods are destroyed.

Total Carbon Absorption

Intact tropical highland (or montane) forests in Africa store about 150 tonnes of carbon per hectare, according to international research published in Nature. This means that preserving a hectare of forest reduces CO2 emissions by the same amount as powering 100 houses for a year.

According to the study, African mountain forests store more carbon per unit area than the Amazon rainforest and are comparable to lowland African forests. However, African mountain forest standards, which assume 89 tons of carbon per hectare, grossly underestimate their significance in global climate control.

Vanishing Tropical Forests

The multinational team also looked into how much tropical mountain forest has vanished from Africa in the last two decades. They discovered that 0.8 million hectares of land had been destroyed, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Ethiopia, resulting in the release of approximately 450 million tonnes of CO2. By 2030, 0.5 million hectares of these woods will have been destroyed if present deforestation rates continue.

Dr. Aida Cuni-Sanchez, the principal author from the Department of Environment and Geography at the University of York and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, said: "The findings are surprising because mountain climates are often associated with low carbon forests.

Related Article: Only 3% of the World's Ecosystems Still in Pristine Conditions

Comparing Carbon Storage

"Mountains' cooler temperatures and extended periods of cloud cover should impede tree development, while strong winds and steep, unstable slopes may limit how large trees can grow before falling over and dying.

"In contrast to other continents, we found the same carbon storage per unit area in both lowland and highland forests in Africa. This is because huge trees, contrary to popular belief, are still plentiful in mountain forests, and these large trees (defined as having a diameter of above 70 cm) retain a significant amount of carbon."

From Guinea to Ethiopia and south to Mozambique, scientists counted 72,000 trees at 44 mountain sites across 12 African countries. They constructed plots in each mountain location where they documented each tree's diameter, height, and species.

Researchers say that understanding how much carbon mountain forests store is especially essential for the ten African countries that exclusively have tropical forests on mountains.

"While we understand what makes African forests unique, we don't yet know why they are. For example, giant herbivores like elephants likely play an essential role in mountain forest ecology in Africa, as these enormous animals distribute seeds and nutrients and consume tiny trees, allowing others to grow larger; however, further research is needed, "Dr. Cuni-Sanchez went on to say.

Africa's Highland Depletion

Dr. Phil Platts, the co-author, and member of the IUCN's Climate Change Specialist Group, from York's Department of Environment and Geography, said: "Since 2000, over 5% of Africa's tropical highland forests have been destroyed, with some nations seeing rates of up to 20%. These forests are crucial for climate stabilization, but they also offer habitat for many rare and endangered species, as well as vital water supplies to millions of people downstream."

Forest Restoration

Under the Bonn Challenge, most African countries have committed substantial quantities of land to forest restoration. Forest restoration is crucial for mitigating climate change, but preventing deforestation is a higher priority.

"Previous carbon estimates for tropical mountain forests in Africa were significantly lower than the levels we describe in our work," said co-author Dr. Martin Sullivan of Manchester Metropolitan University's Department of Natural Sciences.

"We expect that these new statistics will stimulate carbon financing methods that will help to prevent deforestation in tropical highlands." Reduced tropical deforestation in both lowland and mountain forests must be a priority, as stated in the Paris Agreement."

"Carbon finance mechanisms could help improve conservation interventions on the ground," said co-author Dr. Gerard Imani of the Department of Biology at Université Officielle de Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "Even within protected areas, deforestation, forest degradation, and defaunation remain a challenge."

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