EFFECT OF TREE SPECIES, TREE VARIABLES AND TOPOGRAPHY ON CO2 CONCENTRATION IN BADOUS RIVERINE FOREST RESERVE – BLUE NILE, SUDAN

Abstract

The study was conducted at Badous Riverine Forest Reserve in the Blue Nile Area – Sudan aiming to assess the effect of tree species, tree variables characteristics and topography on CO2 concentration in three topographic sites namely; Geref, Maya and Karab. Systematic sampling was used for data collection with intensity of 25%. Measurements were made for tree diameter, tree height, basal area and tree volume, as well CO2concentration in the air and soil. Microsoft Excel Office 2013 and Data fit- 9 were used for data analysis. Results showed strong positive linear relationship between the tree volume, diameter and basal area and CO2with coefficient of determination R2 ranging from 0.90 to 0.96. Inverse linear relationship was distinguished between tree height and CO2 in the air with R2 values (0.61 – 0.83), and positive linear link was noticed in soil with R2 values (0.62 – 0.84). The study concluded that the influence of tree species and tree variables characteristics on CO2 concentration at air and soil in Riverine forest was higher than that of topography.