RT Journal Article
T1 Contrasting patterns of carbon sequestration between Gilbertiodendron dewevrei monodominant forests and Scorodophloeus zenkeri mixed forests in the Central Congo basin
A1 Cassart, Benoît
A1 Angbonga Basia, Albert
A1 Titeux, Hugues
A1 Andivia Muñoz, Enrique
A1 Ponette, Quentin
AB AimsGilbertiodendron dewevrei (De Wild.) J.Léonard monodominant forests (MOF) and Scorodophloeus zenkeri Harms mixed forests (MIF) frequently co-occur on similar soil conditions in the Central Congo basin. Although tree species composition is known to impact C storage, the patterns of C sequestration between those contrasted forest types as well as the associated drivers remain unknown.MethodsAnnual litterfall, as well as soil (forest floor and mineral soil down to 220 cm depth) organic C (SOC) and aboveground C (AGC) stocks were investigated in MIF and MOF located on highly weathered sandy soils in the Yoko Reserve (DRC).ResultsThe annual leaf litterfall was similar under both forests but litterfall quality in MOF strongly differed by a set of traits related to organic matter recalcitrance. The SOC stock down to 220 cm was 55% higher under MOF compared to MIF, and the differences between forests remained significant down to 100 cm. While the combined SOC and AGC stocks were similar in both forests, the SOC stocks accounted for ca. 19 and 33% of the total C stocks in MIF and MOF, respectively.ConclusionsBecause of similar litterfall C inputs, we conclude that the greater SOC accumulation under G. dewevrei results from a limitation of the decomposition rate, in agreement with the traits of the corresponding leaf litter.
PB Springer
SN 0032-079X
YR 2016
FD 2016-12
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/128550
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/128550
LA eng
NO Cassart, B., Angbonga Basia, A., Titeux, H. et al. Contrasting patterns of carbon sequestration between Gilbertiodendron dewevrei monodominant forests and Scorodophloeus zenkeri mixed forests in the Central Congo basin. Plant Soil 414, 309–326 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3130-8
NO AcknowledgmentsBenoît Cassart obtained a PhD grant from the ‘Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique’ (FNRS-FRIA), and received additional support for field work and laboratory analyses from a joint WBI-ERAIFT grant. Albert Angbonga Basia was funded by the ‘AFORCO – Appui à l’organisation d’un master en aménagement forestier pour le renforcement des capacités des chercheurs congolais en vue de la relance socio-économique de la République Démocratique du Congo’ project, funded by the ‘Commission Universitaire au Développement’ (CUD, ARES-CCD) and coordinated by Prof. Jan Bogaert (ULg – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech). Enrique Andivia was partly funded by a post-doctoral Marie Curie incoming fellowship.
NO European Commission
NO Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (Belgique)
NO Wallonie–Bruxelles International (Belgique)
NO Académie de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur (Belgique)
DS Docta Complutense
RD 7 dic 2025