Carbon Stock Estimation of Amenity Trees in Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT
Global warming is among the most dreaded challenges of this era where carbon emission is majorly the causal factor whereas trees function as carbon sink by absorbing carbondioxide from the atmosphere. This study therefore estimated carbon stock of amenity trees at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU). The height and the diameter at breast height (DBH) of all tree species along major roads were measured. Allometric equation (non-destructive method) was used to calculate tree biomass and subsequently carbon stock of the trees. Seven hundred and eighty-six (786) trees representing 17 families were sampled in the study area. Tectona grandis was the most frequently occurring species with 258 trees followed by Gmelina arborea with 148 trees while Albizia zygia, Adansonia digitata and Ceiba petandra had just one tree each. The highest carbon stock value of 36.61kg was obtained from the School Main Gate to Roundabout followed by 27.74kg from Roundabout to UBA while the road from UBA to PTP had the lowest value of 5.37kg. The total biomass of the sampled trees in the study location was 300.6kg while the total carbon stock of all the trees was 148.5kg. This study shows the importance of amenity trees in mitigating climate change and provide a basis for developing strategies to promote the planting and maintenance of amenity trees at EKSU.