Author(s)

Nat Owusu-Prempeh^1*, Osei Owusu Antobre¹, Thomas Agyei²

¹Department of Land Reclamation and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Forest Resources Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
²Global Change Research Institute, CzechGlobe, Brno, Czech Republic.
³University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani, Ghana.

The study assesses the functional status of the University of Energy and Natural Resources’ (UENR) bat sanctuary by examining its floral diversity and carbon stocks. Twenty-nine sampling points (plots) were randomly generated by using the ArcGIS random sampling algorithm. Using a three-nest sampling plot of 100m2, 25m2, and 1m2 quadrat, the enumeration of trees (DBH>10cm), saplings (>2cm DBH <10cm) and seedlings (girth <2cm) was undertaken, respectively. Additionally, the diversity of each floral species was computed using the Shannon Wiener diversity index whilst the carbon stocks were estimated using allometric equations. The total carbon stock per plot was derived from the summation of the aboveground carbon (AGC), belowground carbon (BGC) and deadwood carbon (DWC). In sum, 450 floral individuals belonging to 47 species and 22 families were enumerated with Bignoniaceae (16.4%), Apocynaceae (10.0%), Caesalpiniaceae (9.2%) and Rubiaceae (8.8%) being the most common families within the protected area (PA). The average carbon sequestered per hectare of the PA was 2,789.3 tons. However, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the 10m buffer created and the core area with respect to species diversity and carbon stocks. The study has provided valuable information on the functional status of the bat sanctuary which will help promote its conservation for sustained provision of ecosystem services.

Carbon Stocks, Floral Species Diversity, Protected Area (PA), Edge Effects, Geostatistics, Ghana

Owusu-Prempeh, N. , Antobre, O. and Agyei, T. (2018) Floral diversity and carbon stocks and of protected forest ecosystem: A case of UENR’s Bat Sanctuary, Sunyani, Ghana. Open Journal of Forestry, 8, 29-41. doi: 10.4236/ojf.2018.81003.