Soil profile pits, carbon and vegetation data of an old Anogeissus grove in Mole National Park, Ghana
Cite this dataset
Logah, Vincent et al. (2024). Soil profile pits, carbon and vegetation data of an old Anogeissus grove in Mole National Park, Ghana [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2280gb60m
Abstract
Formation of forest islands in West Africa has been linked to anthropogenic soil improvement resulting in luxuriant tree growth in otherwise open savanna landscapes. However, there is limited understanding of how such unique ecosystems modulate soil carbon (C) dynamics and nutrient cycling. In this study, we report soil nutrient characteristics and two distinct soil organic carbon pools of Anogeissus grove (forest island) associated with abandoned village sites of the Mole National Park in the Guinea savanna or tropical continental climatic zone of Ghana, taking opportunity of a previously published study in Biotropica in 1978. We compared present-day differences in soil characteristics between the previously studied forest grove and adjoining open savanna in the Park and evaluated vegetation dynamics since first measurement in 1974. Overall, we see changes related to self-thinning and expansion of the grove on a decadal timescale. Soil organic matter and available phosphorus contents were greater in the grove and increased by 19.6 and 18.7%, respectively over time, showing persistence after four decades. Mineral associated organic carbon (MAOC) differed significantly (p<0.05) between the vegetation types, being 3.44% in the grove and 2.34% in the savanna. The grove was ca. 25% greater in particulate organic carbon (POC) content than the savanna. In both vegetation types, >55% of carbon was stabilized in the mineral fraction. Our study demonstrates long-term human impacts on soil and vegetation and offers a clear nature-based solution for climate change mitigation through sustainable land management by indigenous people towards achievement of the ‘4p1000’ initiative.
README: Soil profile pits, carbon and vegetation data of an old Anogeissus grove in Mole National Park, Ghana
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2280gb60m
This datasets presented herein were collected as part of field work in an old Anogeissus grove on abandoned village sites in the Mole National Park of Ghana in 2016 and 2020.
Details of the datasets are adequately captured in the README file.
Description of the data and file structure
The datasets in Supplementary file are in three parts as follows:
1). Description of soil profiles in grove and savanna designated as grove profile pit 1, 2, and 3 and savanna profile pit.
2). Number of trees (> 10 cm girth) of each species in each 10 m2 of the belt transect in the Mole National Park
3). Computation of C/N ratios of different soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions in the Mole National Park
C: N ratios means carbon to nitrogen ratios
The datasets in the Primary data (excel file) comprise tree measurements (including height and girth) and regeneration data:
- The tree measurement data sheet houses plot and tree numbers in columns A and B, respectively. Species names are indicated in column C and plant height in column D. Columns E to P show girth measurement of trees in the grove and savanna.
- The regeneration data was simple counts of seedlings and re-sprouts of each species. Column A shows plot number with B to Y showing individual tree species.
N/A in cells of regeneration data is an acronym for Not Applicable
Methods
See Logah et al. (2024), Biotropica
Funding
Royal Society-FCDO, Award: AQ 140076