Floristic Diversity, Forest Structure and Above-ground Carbon Stocks of the Mbamba Forest, Kwilu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Patience Loso Alik; Pisco Menga Munkolo; Crispin Balo Ilunga; Jean-Paul Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua; Godéfroid Yaya Yemweni; Félicien Lukoki Luyeye; Bonaventure Masens Da-Musa Yung

doi:10.63095/NBSEH.26.355733

Authors

Patience Loso Alik 1 Laboratory of Plant Biodiversity, Ecology and Ethnobotany, Life Sciences Section, University of Kinshasa (https://ror.org/05rrz2q74), P.O. Box 190, Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 2 Higher Pedagogical Institute of Kikwit, Kwilu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pisco Menga Munkolo Laboratory of Plant Biodiversity, Ecology and Ethnobotany, Life Sciences Section, University of Kinshasa (https://ror.org/05rrz2q74), P.O. Box 190, Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Crispin Balo Ilunga Laboratory of Ethnobiology and Medical Phytochemistry, Life Sciences Section, University of Kinshasa (https://ror.org/05rrz2q74), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jean-Paul Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua Laboratory of Ethnobiology and Medical Phytochemistry, Life Sciences Section, University of Kinshasa (https://ror.org/05rrz2q74), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Godéfroid Yaya Yemweni 1 Laboratory of Plant Biodiversity, Ecology and Ethnobotany, Life Sciences Section, University of Kinshasa (https://ror.org/05rrz2q74), P.O. Box 190, Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of the Congo; 2 Higher Pedagogical Institute of Kikwit, Kwilu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Félicien Lukoki Luyeye Laboratory of Plant Biodiversity, Ecology and Ethnobotany, Life Sciences Section, University of Kinshasa (https://ror.org/05rrz2q74), P.O. Box 190, Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bonaventure Masens Da-Musa Yung Laboratory of Plant Biodiversity, Ecology and Ethnobotany, Life Sciences Section, University of Kinshasa (https://ror.org/05rrz2q74), P.O. Box 190, Kinshasa XI, Democratic Republic of the Congo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.355733

Keywords:

Floristic diversity, Forest structure, Above-ground carbon stocks

Abstract

This study characterizes the floristic diversity, forest structure and above-ground carbon stocks of the forest within the Sisters of Mary concession in Mbamba, Kwilu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The inventory was conducted in 18 plots of 25 × 25 m, covering 1.125 ha. It recorded 536 woody individuals belonging to 101 taxa and 32 families, with high floristic diversity (H′ = 3.701; Simpson = 0.942; Pielou = 0.802). Staudtia kamerunensis, Dichostemma glaucescens and Brachystegia laurentii accounted for 34.70% of individuals, and stems of 10–30 cm diameter represented 75.1%. Multivariate analyses distinguished two floristic groups, with differences in composition (PERMANOVA: pseudo-F₁,₁₆ = 4.216; R² = 0.209; p < 0.001) and dispersion (PERMDISP: F₁,₁₆ = 8.501; p = 0.010). Mean above-ground biomass was 423.24 ± 77.50 Mg ha⁻¹, corresponding to 198.92 ± 36.43 Mg C ha⁻¹. These results highlight a floristically diverse forest with substantial above-ground biomass and carbon stocks, supporting its conservation and temporal monitoring.

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