Carbon storage in Ghanaian cocoa ecosystems
نویسندگان
چکیده
BACKGROUND The recent inclusion of the cocoa sector as an option for carbon storage necessitates the need to quantify the C stocks in cocoa systems of Ghana. RESULTS Using farmers' fields, the carbon (C) stocks in shaded and unshaded cocoa systems selected from the Eastern (ER) and Western (WR) regions of Ghana were measured. Total ecosystem C (biomass C + soil C to 60 cm depth) ranged from 81.8 to 153.9 Mg C/ha. The bulk (~89 %) of the systems' C stock was stored in the soils. The total C stocks were higher in the WR (137.8 ± 8.6 Mg C/ha) than ER (95.7 ± 8.6 Mg C/ha). CONCLUSION Based on the cocoa cultivation area of 1.45 million hectares, the cocoa sector in Ghana potentially could store 118.6-223.2 Gg C in cocoa systems with cocoa systems aged within 30 years regardless of shade management. Thus, the decision to include the cocoa sector in the national carbon accounting emissions budget of Ghana is warranted.
منابع مشابه
Influence of pulp-preconditioning and fermentation on fermentative quality and appearance of Ghanaian cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans
Studies were conducted to evaluate effects of pod storage (as a means of pulp pre-conditioning) and fermentation time on the fermentative quality and appearance of Ghanaian cocoa beans. The fermentative quality (cut test and fermentation index [FI]) and colour (L, a, b) of the cocoa beans were studied using standard methods. Increasing pod storage and fermentation time significantly (P<0.05) in...
متن کاملWhy Do Cooperatives Fail? Big versus Small in Ghanaian Cocoa Producers’ Societies, 1930-36
Using a complete panel of Ghanaian cocoa producers’ societies in the 1930s, we investigate whether group interaction problems threatened i) capital accumulation, ii) cocoa sales and iii) cooperative survival as membership size increased. We find evidence of group interaction problems. The net effect, however, is positive indicating gains from economies of scale as cooperatives expanded their me...
متن کاملMonitoring and assessment of land use/land cover changes in Kashkan basin using futures studies approach in managing ecosystem services
Land use/cover change is one of the main factors in environmental changes. The changes directly affect the value of ecosystem services. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of land use/land cover change in the Kashkan area on its ecosystem services. This research was carried out in three stages, including the analysis of land cover changes, prediction of changes, and carbon st...
متن کاملHermetic Storage: a Novel Approach to the Protection of Cocoa Beans
Hermetic storage has provided a successful storage method for protection of commodities without fumigants or need for refrigeration for insect control and quality preservation of stored products. Hermetic storage is achieved in specially constructed plastic structures for the preservation of cereal grains and other commodities. Plastic structures suitable for long-term storage systems, as well ...
متن کاملAcetobacter fabarum sp. nov., an acetic acid bacterium from a Ghanaian cocoa bean heap fermentation.
Six acetic acid bacterial isolates, obtained during a study of the microbial diversity of spontaneous fermentations of Ghanaian cocoa beans, were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. (GTG)(5)-PCR fingerprinting grouped the isolates together, but they could not be identified using this method. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences allocated the isolates to the genus Acetob...
متن کامل