Assessment of carbon storage potential and its ecological implications in historic rubber plantations in Sankuru, DR Congo

Le résumé fourni par la source

The province of Sankuru, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is home to historic rubber tree plantations ( Hevea brasiliensis ) that play a significant role in carbon storage. However, despite their ecological and economic importance, little is known about the actual carbon sequestration potential of these abandoned or poorly managed plantations, and their contribution to climate change mitigation remains poorly quantified. This lack of empirical data limits the integration of such plantations into national and global carbon offset and conservation strategies. To address this gap, this study aims to assess the carbon sequestration potential of these plantations, while analyzing their ecological implications for the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources. This study therefore aims to (i) quantify the above-ground carbon stock of historic rubber plantations in Sankuru, (ii) develop a local allometric model adapted to Hevea brasiliensis to improve biomass and carbon estimation accuracy, (iii) assess the ecological and economic implications of carbon storage—including its monetary valuation—and (iv) provide recommendations for integrating rubber plantations into carbon offset and sustainable management frameworks. A floristic inventory was conducted in 80 plots of 0.25 ha across two plantation types, measuring trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 10 cm. A local allometric equation was developed from destructive sampling of 48 rubber trees across eight diameter classes. The quadratic model selected based on statistical performance (RMSE = 0.02; adjusted R 2 = 0.9971), accurately estimated above-ground biomass and carbon storage. Results revealed that smallholder plantations stored 139.08 tC/ha (USD 6,537/ha), while state plantations stored 180.61 tC/ha (USD 8,489/ha). These findings highlight the significant role of historic rubber plantations as secondary carbon sinks, with strong potential for inclusion in climate mitigation and payment for ecosystem services schemes. The study recommends integrating sustainable management and biodiversity conservation practices to enhance both ecological and economic benefits in the Sankuru region.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.