Author(s) :

Jean Pierre Baelo Kolokota, Roger Lomalisa Katusi, Norbert Mulavwa Mbangi, Dieu-Merci Batope Booto, Thibaud Gbola Gbendo, Bien-aimé Mokwaka Mamwanga, Etienne Yusufu Kachaka, Papy-Claude Boliale Bolaluembe.

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Abstract :

The peatlands of the Congo Basin are among the world’s most important tropical carbon reservoirs, yet little information is available on those of the Eala Botanical Garden in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This study assessed the floristic diversity, ecological structure and carbon storage potential of these peatland forests. A forest inventory was conducted in 26 plots of 20 m × 20 m, covering a total area of 1.04 ha. All woody individuals with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 10 cm were identified and measured. Aboveground biomass was estimated using the allometric equation of Chave et al. (2014) based on DBH and wood density. A total of 626 individuals belonging to 23 species and 13 families were recorded. Fabaceae dominated the community (86.58% of individuals), while Daniellia pynaertii exhibited the highest Importance Value Index (IVI = 230.35). Species richness ranged from 4 to 10 species per plot, with mean Shannon, Simpson and Pielou indices of 1.277, 0.610 and 0.719, respectively. Aboveground carbon stocks ranged from 114.72 to 437.21 tC/ha. Multivariate analyses revealed that basal area, biomass and carbon were the main drivers of ecological differentiation among plots. These findings provide baseline information for peatland conservation, REDD+ initiatives and climate change mitigation strategies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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