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Soil organic carbon storage and contribution of management strategies to the “4 per 1000” target in a wet savanna, Côte d’Ivoire

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Abstract

Identifying and scaling up agricultural practices that promote atmospheric carbon transfer into the soil are keys to tackle climate change. A study was carried out in Central Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa) to assess soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and its edaphic constraints under diverse fallow management options. Trials were conducted at two locations—Ahérémou-II village and near the Lamto reserve. The impact of long-term Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) fallow was assessed relative to the native savanna. Those of short-term herbaceous (Mucuna pruriens, Lablab purpureus, Pueraria phaseoloides and a mixture of these three) and shrub (Cajanus cajan) legume (Fabaceae) fallows were assessed relative to the time of sowing (T0) or relative to C. odorata fallow. In Lamto, the legumes were grown simultaneously at two sites side-by-side—a native shrub savanna (“savanna”) and a 17-year C. odorata fallow (“fallow”)—with contrasting soil fertility levels. At both locations, SOC stock was higher in C. odorata than in the natural savanna, the increase being restricted to the 0–0.1-m depth. SOC accumulation rates at 0–0.4 m depth were 0.46% year−1 and 1.87% year−1 in the Lamto 17-year and Ahérémou-II 10-year C. odorata fallows, respectively. In Ahérémou-II, L. purpureus rather than C. cajan significantly increased SOC stock (0–0.1-m depth) relative to C. odorata (2-year fallows). In Lamto, SOC stock significantly increased in all legume plots (0–0.1-m depth) relative to T0, particularly the mixture (14.1% year−1) and L. purpureus (13.7% year−1). SOC storage was not found to be influenced by legume biomass yield nor by legume species x site interaction, although it was greater at the more fertile “fallow” than at the “savanna” sites. That increase was positively linked to the initial SOC, total N, clay + fine silt, Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations, with the latter exhibiting the strongest influence. This study highlights the agronomic and climatic benefits C. odorata may provide in savanna environment despite the inimical attributes linked to its invader status. Mixed legume fallowing should be further encouraged in Côte d’Ivoire and other West African coastal countries in the framework of the 4p1000 Initiative.

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Funding

This work was funded by IFS (International Foundation for Science), CORAF/WECARD (West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development) through the project “Sustainable soil–water-nutrient management under increasing climatic change and variability” and the French IRD through the PARRAF-CaSA network (Soil carbon for a sustainable agriculture in Africa).

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  1. Sustainable Soil Management Unit (UR GDS), Department of Natural Science (UFR SN)/Centre for Research in Ecology (CRE), Nangui Abrogoua University, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

    Armand W. Koné

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Koné, A.W. Soil organic carbon storage and contribution of management strategies to the “4 per 1000” target in a wet savanna, Côte d’Ivoire. Reg Environ Change 22, 4 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-021-01861-4

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