‘Islands of fertility’: Effects of different forest covers on the distribution of soil carbon stock in a tropical savanna ecosystem.

Soil is a vital component of the terrestrial ecosystems with key functions of water and nutrient storage and transmission. Previous studies have shown that soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks vary with land-cover and land-use change, with significant losses occurring through disturbance and cultivation. With regards to the fact that the potential of forest reserves and other land use systems as C sinks is becoming evident, this study was conducted to investigate the levels of C stocks in soil and vegetation, and soil nutrient characteristics of selected forest reserves in the fragile Guinea Savanna Agro-ecological zone of Ghana. Thus, this study sought to investigate the potential of grasslands as potential carbon sinks in reducing the current rapid increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The study also revealed that the highest SOC concentrations were recorded in the 200% distance from the base of tree, drip line zone and sub-canopy zone for Kenikeni, Sinsablegbinni and Klupene forest reserves, respectively.